It Should Be Me
by penny1200
Summary: When Rachel's driving everyone crazy before Regionals, the glee club recruits Puck to relax her. Will he succeed or will he make everything worse? And what will Finn think of this?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot. I also don't own '(I've Had) the Time of My Life'. Also, some of this is from Puck's viewpoint, and he's kind of an offensive guy, so I'd like to point out that his viewpoints don't always reflect mine.  
A/N: Here we go with a brand new multi-chaptered story. This one will be a lot closer in tone to Treading Water than Missing Ending. I'd just like to say thank you to my returning readers-it's great to have you back-and welcome to anyone who's never read either of my previous fics. Also, a note: this fic was inspired by The Killers' 'Mr. Brightside', so that gives you a clue of where I intend this to eventually head. Please read and review. Thanks!

"No, no, no, no! You're doing it all wrong!" Rachel Berry shouted at Finn, rubbing her chest where he'd just struck her. "You're supposed to spin left, not right. Every time you spin right you hit me! If you can't get it right I'll have Mr. Schuester replace you because I will not let you mess up our chances at Regionals."

Finn rubbed the back of his neck and grinned sheepishly at her. "I'm sorry Rach. Let's try it again; I know I can get it right."

Her expression softened. "Okay, then."

Rachel retook her place again and Mr. Schuester restarted the backing music to their performance of '(I've Had) the Time of My Life'. Rachel shook her head as she waited for her musical cue while Finn began to sing. When it came time for her to join in, she moved forward next to him. As the music picked up, Rachel spun to the left just as they were both supposed to, and Finn spun right again. Since he had clearly never learned to keep control of his arms during turns, he backhanded Rachel hard across the cheek.

Rachel cried out in pain and stopped just short of colliding with him (she tried to ignore the laughter coming from the others). Cupping her hand over her cheek, she turned on her heel to face the tall boy.

"That's it, Finn." She stomped her foot. "I cannot work like this!" She turned to Mr. Schuester, who had once again stopped the music, and was correcting Tina's hand placement. "When you either teach Finn how to do this routine properly or replace him with someone who is more competent, please let me know. But until then, I am done with this song."

Rachel stormed out of the room as Mr. Schuester glanced over at her. As she headed down the hall, she heard the room grow noisy. She was sure they were all either complaining about her diva behavior or celebrating the fact that Finn had smacked her (even though he hadn't meant to). She was just so tired of it all. Regionals were coming up in a mere three weeks and nobody else seemed to realize how important the competition was. She _needed_ to win at Regionals. If they won, her path to Broadway would be ten times easier. Everyone would remember her as the star because she just knew her voice would outshine their competition (okay, so the others probably didn't care that they were interfering with her Broadway ambitions, but still).

After she'd entered the ladies' room, Rachel stood in front of the mirror and removed her hand from her face. She leaned over the sink to inspect her cheek more closely. It had turned slightly red and she was worried it would bruise. She sighed. _At least it wasn't my nose_, she thought as she gently prodded the spot where Finn had hit her. Wincing, she twisted the knob for the cold water and grabbed several paper towels. Wadding them up, she thrust them under the water and placed them against her cheek. The chill was instantly soothing.

As she held the paper towels to her sore skin, she mused over her current irritation. It wasn't just that no one seemed to care that Regionals were so close and they still hadn't nailed down the choreography for the only group number Mr. Schuester had actually settled on (they were still missing one) or that they still hadn't picked who was going to perform the required solo (she _really, really_ wanted it, but she had a feeling Mercedes would threaten to 'cut' her if she volunteered before Mr. Schuester brought it up). No, a good portion of her frustration was due to Finn.

He and Quinn had broken up months ago and Finn still hadn't made a public move on Rachel. She was so sure that they would officially be together by now. She had dreamed of wearing his letter jacket to school and going out on real dates with him, the kind of dates that everyone else knows about. Instead, he would steal a kiss every now and then before asking her to keep quiet and then he would run off to hang out with his baseball friends (it was early May; they'd moved on to yet another sport season). Rachel had attended all of Finn's basketball games because he asked her to, but he never really acknowledged her at them (though that didn't stop him from acting hurt when she skipped a game to attend a production of Rent in Cleveland). Sighing again, Rachel rewet the paper towels before placing them against her cheek again. She supposed he would expect her to attend his baseball games too when they began; they were only in practices right now.

If she were to be honest with herself, Rachel would admit that she was disappointed. Nothing about her relationship with Finn had turned out like she expected. She didn't understand why he wanted her at all of his games but was never willing to be affectionate in public. Or why he still told her not to tell when he kissed her; it wasn't as if he had a girlfriend anymore. They were free to be together, so why was he acting as if they weren't? Rachel sighed again, dropped the paper towels in the trash, and exited the bathroom, wiping the extra moisture from her face. Despite her insistence that she wouldn't return until Mr. Schuester had given her a competent co-lead, she had left her bag in the choir room and she needed her books so that she could do her homework tonight.

ooooo

Puck was laughing his ass off. He couldn't believe that Finn had hit Berry. He knew it hadn't been on purpose; if it had, Puck would've beat the shit out of him (he didn't put up with guys who hit girls). Plus, Berry was so damn over-dramatic that Finn had probably barely even tapped her. Finn had turned bright red and run out of the room after Berry and Puck didn't know what was funnier: that he was yelling Berry's name, the gay-ass way he ran, or the fact that it had taken him about five minutes to even realize Berry had left the room. So Puck was laughing so hard that he was nearly falling out of his chair. And that shit was not badass.

Calming down, he looked around the room to see if anyone had noticed. They were all busy talking to each other though, so his rep was safe. When he saw that Schue had left, he figured he was good to go home. He got up and grabbed his guitar from the corner. He was fuckin' ready to leave. Staci, a blonde Cheerio with a huge rack, had asked him to come to her house after practice because her parents were out of town. He was so getting laid tonight. He turned to leave with a big smile on his face at that thought; a smile which slid off when he saw the rest of the glee club, minus Berry and Finn, blocking the exit and staring at him.

"Why in the hell are you looking at me like that?"

It was creepy as fuck when all nine of them exchanged a look. It was even creepier when they seemed to make a decision without talking (did they share a fuckin' brain?). They all turned back to him again and Kurt took a step forward, straightening his vest.

"We need you to do something for us."

_What the fuck?_ "Beyonce, I don't do favors."

"You'll do this one. There's sex in it for you," the smaller boy said certainly.

"I don't do guys either," Puck stated with a shudder.

"As if I'd be interested in a brainless dolt like you," Kurt scoffed.

"You like Finn well enough and it doesn't get much more brainless than that," Puck muttered under his breath.

Kurt pinkened slightly but otherwise ignored the comment. "Since Finn hasn't manned up yet, we need you to have sex with Rachel."

Puck snorted at that, badass reputation be damned. _They wanted him to have sex with Berry? They hadn't talked since October, and she wouldn't even let him touch her boobs when they were dating._ Before he could answer though, Brittany piped up.

"But I thought Rachel did have sex with Finn."

Mercedes rolled her eyes at the blonde. "Please. Diva just screams unrelieved sexual tension. If there was ever a girl who hasn't gotten laid, it's Rachel Berry."

Brittany scrunched her face in confusion. "But Finn's had sex."

At that announcement all of them, Puck included, turned to look at her.

"If he didn't have sex with Rachel, then who did he have it with? They're together, you know," she continued on, oblivious to the way everyone was staring at her.

Santana recovered first. "Okay, number one, how would you know if Finn has had sex? And number two, what do you mean they're together? Because they sure as hell don't look together to me."

Brittany smiled brightly. "Oh, I can always tell when someone's had sex. It's like a fifth sense."

"Britt, sweetie, there are five senses and what do you mean you can tell when someone's had sex?" Quinn asked curiously.

"I can tell you've had sex," she responded.

Quinn rolled her eyes. "I had a baby so that's not exactly a big secret."

Brittany frowned, "Right." She thought for a moment and then perked up. "I can tell Santana has had sex."

Puck let out another snort. "Everyone knows that-she's the school whore."

Santana flipped him off and said, "And you can't say Puck either because he's the school manwhore."

Puck smirked lecherously at her, "You can't tell me you didn't enjoy your rides on the Puckerone."

"Guys!" Quinn interrupted them. "Go ahead Britt."

Brittany grinned. "Mike and Matt have had sex. But not with each other; separately."

The two boys in question shifted uncomfortably at that suggestion before Mike responded with, "Uh, Britt, I had sex with you, remember?"

She nodded vigorously. "Yeah, and it was lots of fun." Then she was off to her next thought, "Oh, Kurt, Mercedes, and Artie have all had sex."

_Now that he didn't know_. Puck glanced at the three of them. Kurt was staring at Brittany in surprise, Mercedes was avoiding looking at anyone, and Artie was turning red and appeared to be trying to sink into his chair. Probably because Tina was glaring at him. _Damn, she looks scary!_ When Artie grinned sheepishly up at her Puck shook his head. _Amateur_.

"Tina and Rachel are the only virgins left in glee club," Brittany concluded.

"Then why did you think she was having sex with Finn?" Mercedes asked curiously.

"I thought maybe I was wrong about her because I'm definitely not about him. They've been together secretly since basketball season and Finn only had sex for the first time last month, so I thought it had to be Rachel," Brittany explained. "Because if it's not, then he's been cheating on her and that's just really mean."

Everyone was silent for a moment as they absorbed this thought.

"Finn's too damn nice to cheat on someone, so you must be wrong about him and Rachel," Mercedes finally declared.

Brittany shook her head. "They were kissing in the auditorium yesterday."

Quinn sighed. "Okay, they're probably together. So, then who's Finn sleeping with?"

Puck raised an eyebrow at her. If Finn was going to cheat on Rachel with anyone, he was sure it would be Quinn. The Cheerio (her spot on the squad restored after the baby although Santana was still captain) noticed his expression and crossed her arms over her chest, scowling.

"It's not me," she defended.

Kurt waved his hand through the air. "This isn't important. What is important is that Rachel needs to relax before we kill her or she kills us if we want to make it to Regionals. And that's where you come in," he finished, refocusing his attention on Puck.

"I won't promise to sleep with Berry," Puck stated. No way was he getting involved with that crazy again.

"Fine. Don't sleep with Rachel. But if she's goes all homicidal bitch, I'm coming back and haunting you," Mercedes said.

Puck frowned. "Why don't you have Matt or Mike do it?"

"Hey!" Brittany exclaimed.

_Right, Mike was with Brittany_.

"Okay, so what about Matt?" he corrected.

Matt turned red. "She's hot and all, but she's kind of scary."

"And you dated Santana so scary should be nothing for you," Kurt declared, ignoring the glare the Latina sent his way. "So are you in or not? If you're not, we'll persuade someone else to help us out."

Puck scowled at that. He didn't like the thought of them finding some random bastard to sleep with Berry. Sure, she was a little insane and scary-intense, but he knew that she was a fairly good person. If she slept with some fucker who'd only slept with her because he was paid to (and there wasn't a doubt in his mind that was how Kurt intended to persuade the guy), she'd be really fucking hurt when she found out (and he'd learned that secrets never stayed secret in this school). They'd backed him into a fuckin' corner.

"Fine. I'm not saying I'll sleep with her, especially if she's with Finn because been there, done that," he decided (Quinn blushed), "but I'm sure I can relax her without sex." He smirked. "After all, I'm a fucking stud."

There were satisfied nods all around the group and Kurt said 'Good'.

"Now get the fuck out of the way," Puck ordered.

The group finally disbursed to get their stuff and Puck headed for the door. And ran smack into Berry who let out a squeak and stumbled backward. Puck automatically reached out and steadied her.

"Easy, Berry."

ooooo

Rachel had just made what was perhaps her longest ever walk from the bathroom back to the choir room. When she pushed the door open, Mr. Schuester had been waiting for her. He had proceeded to lecture her about how storming out during practice wouldn't solving anything. He then suggested that she spend extra time working with Finn on the choreography if he wasn't performing to her standards (_and she had tried; heaven help her, she had tried_).

Well, Rachel couldn't just stand there and let him attack her, so she told him that Finn's performance shouldn't be up to his standards either if he wanted New Directions to win Regionals. Because they certainly wouldn't win if Finn kept hitting her during their performance. Judges did not respond well to violence. Mr. Schuester had been very quiet at that (she loved it when she made an irrefutable point).

He had finally agreed with her and assured her that he would figure something out. Perhaps a change in choreography would help. Having achieved one victory, Rachel suggested that it was time to pick out their other group number and the person to perform the solo, and while he was at it, could they please have an additional practice every week? Mr. Schuester had just stood there silently, his mouth hanging slightly open as he stared at her. He was clearly running a little slow today, so Rachel patted his arm (and ignored the wary look he gave her because _really, she was definitely beyond her silly crush on him_) and told him to get back to her.

She was deep in thought as she made her way back to the choir room. Her mind was swirling with song choices for the solo and the group number. She had several suggestions for the second group performance that would be much better than the song he had settled on for their first one. In her opinion, '(I've Had) the Time of My Life' was one of the most overrated duets of all time. She would like to do something that was either edgier or more heartfelt. Something that would draw emotion from the judges would be an ideal choice, especially if it was an unusual choice for a show choir. She was so focused on narrowing down the selections in her head that she wasn't paying attention as she reached the choir room door and barreled headlong into Puck.

She had nearly fallen backward (and wouldn't that be supremely embarrassing) when he caught her by the shoulders and steadied her.

"Easy, Berry."

Tilting her head back to look up at him, she was irritated to see him smirking.

"Watch where you're going Noah," she snapped (she's not sure why she was suddenly angry with him; there was just something about him that always put her on edge).

He just smirked even bigger. "You're the one that ran into me Berry."

She huffed and pushed roughly past him into the room. She smiled at Tina, who looked distinctly disgruntled, and returned Brittany's cheery wave (for some reason, the blonde Cheerio had been waving at her more frequently).

When she reached her roller bag and pulled the handle up, she turned to find that Puck had followed her back into the room.

"What now?" she asked in annoyance.

"You seem fucking tense Berry. Not getting any off of Finn?" He was still smirking at her.

"You are disgusting and I refuse to dignify that with a response," she stated, blushing even as she frowned up at him.

"That's a no." His smirk turned into a grin. "So, do you want to do something sometime?"

"Not interested," she remarked definitely.

_What was he doing?_ This behavior was a breach of their clearly established 'ignore and avoid' policy. Since she had dumped him back in October, they had both been pretending the other doesn't exist and it was working for them. So again she wondered, _What was he doing?_

"Come on Berry," he cajoled her. "You need a break from all this glee stuff before you die of a heart attack at the ripe old age of 16."

That just made her angry. He was clearly among the members of the club who didn't understand how important Regionals were.

"Regionals are in three weeks and we only have one group selection and Finn can't even get the choreography right on it. We should have begun our preparations months ago! I don't know how I let Mr. Schuester get away with putting it off for so long! We're never going to win if we keep relaxing; in this case, relaxing is just another way of saying procrastinating." She took a deep breath and then added, "And I'm not having sex with you."

With that she lifted her chin and, dragging her bag behind her, exited the room. Stunned, he watched her go.

ooooo

_Well, fuck, that didn't go how he planned, _Puck thought as he watched Berry storm out for the second time that day.

"Fix it," Kurt commanded him, pausing on his way to the door.

Puck rolled his eyes. "Damn, man, I agreed to help and I'll keep my fuckin' promise. But I know how Berry works and if I try again now, she'll shut me down completely."

Kurt shook his head and left the room.

Santana sneered. "Well, if you ever plan on getting anywhere with her you might want to turn on some of that charm you claim to have," she said as she passed through the door.

_She's one cold bitch_. She was also wrong. Puck actually had turned on the charm; but apparently Berry needed another strategy.

As Brittany bounced to a stop in front of him, Puck realized that the room had cleared out. Other than Mike, who was waiting at the door, he and Brittany were the only ones left.

"You can't treat her like one of your sluts," the blonde advised earnestly. "Rachel's a serious girl, so you need to treat her like one."

Puck considered that; she had a point. He'd be best to approach Berry from a friendship-only angle. _Fuck_. He'd never been just friends with a girl; Brittany was the closest he'd ever come to with that since she was one of the only Cheerios he had never fucked.

"Also, could you please not have sex with Rachel?" Brittany requested. "I don't think her first time should be with someone who's only after that."

That kind of stung, though Puck would never admit it out loud. But he could see Brittany's point. Berry wasn't a fuck-and-run kind of girl and he was that kind of guy. Besides, he wasn't interested in Berry in that way (or at all, really, he was only doing this to get the others off his back). Matt was right-she was way too fuckin' scary. Shit though, he was going to have to put more effort into just being friends with Berry than he'd ever had to put into finding someone to blow him.

"I'm not going to have sex with her," he reassured Brittany when he realized she was watching him expectantly. She was one of the only people who could ask him to do something and he'd actually do it.

She smiled happily and practically skipped over to Mike. Slipping her hand in his, they left. _When did Brittany start watching out for Rachel?_

Puck was in the hallway when he passed Finn, who was headed back to the choir room.

"Have you seen Rachel?" Finn asked.

Puck nodded. "She's already fuckin' left dude."

He watched curiously as his ex-best friend (they were talking again but they weren't really friends) frowned and slumped his shoulders in a defeated gesture.

"Oh. I guess I'll catch her tomorrow then."

As Puck watched him walk off, he wondered about what Brittany had said earlier. Were Berry and Finn together? Had Finn had sex, even though Berry hadn't? Because he was sure now that she hadn't ever had sex based on the way she had responded when he had asked about Finn. And if Finn was cheating on Berry, what should he do with that information?

The answer?

_Not a fucking thing_ _(it had nothing to do with him)_.


	2. Chapter 2

"Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot. Also, some of this is from Puck's viewpoint, and he's kind of an offensive guy, so I'd like to point out that his viewpoints don't always reflect mine. I don't own the song used later in the chapter.  
A/N: Thank you to everyone who read and reviewed the first chapter. Also the singing key-Rachel in italics, Puck in bold.

"So, you gonna go out with me tonight?"

At the sound of that voice, Rachel's irritation automatically rose. Rolling her eyes, she closed her locker door and faced the source of the proposition.

"Again. Not. Interested." Rachel stated slowly, but firmly, as if speaking to a two year-old. She really didn't think she could have been any clearer yesterday.

Puck smirked lazily at her. "Ah, come on Berry. You know you want to find out what it's like to get the full Puckerone experience."

"That is a ridiculous nickname-it makes you sound like a side dish. I honestly don't think my interest level can drop any lower than it already is," she moved down the hall toward her first class. When she realized he was following her, she nearly growled in frustration. The only thing that stopped her was the fact that Broadway stars do not growl.

"Babe, everyone knows I'm the main course," he spoke from behind her.

"I was wrong. My interest just dropped further," she groaned. When he let out a bark of laughter, her mood did not improve.

She stopped quickly and turned 180 degrees. When she found her face practically pressed against his chest, she took several hasty steps back. _Whoa, he had been a lot closer to her than she thought_.

"Is there some reason you're harassing me? I've already told you that I'm not going to sleep with you, and I can't think of any other reason you would insist on annoying me," she said with her hands on her hips as she tapped her foot impatiently.

"I told you yesterday-you need to relax Berry." When she opened her mouth to remind him that there was no time to relax with Regionals so close, he preempted her, "Yeah, yeah, I know all that shit about Regionals being so close and blah, blah, blah, but the rest of the glee club is going to kill you if you don't calm the fuck down."

"They're usually on the edge of killing me for one reason or another," she stated bluntly. "I'm not worried about that. I don't think anyone but me is aware of the sheer amount of work we still need to put in if we stand a chance against Vocal Adrenaline. We haven't...."

He cut her off. "You've already said all that and I really don't fuckin' care. It'll get done. Seriously, babe, we won Sectionals with two numbers that we had only come up with an hour beforehand and one number that we hadn't done since our invitational. We can handle Regionals."

She shook her head vigorously. "You really don't understand. Those other groups stole our numbers so they had only practiced for a short time too. You can bet that Vocal Adrenaline has been working on their numbers all year."

"Berry, you need to relax. I'm picking you up tonight and taking you out," Puck declared. "Be ready by seven."

"I am not going out with you," she reasserted forcefully.

"Sure you are Berry. Tonight at seven." He gave her a cocky smirk.

_He was positively insufferable! _ Letting out an aggravated cry (it wasn't a growl; _it wasn't_), she spun around to storm away from him. And got hit in the face with a cherry slushie. _This was so not her day_.

Puck burst into laughter behind her. She sent a death glare in his direction as she passed by him to her locker. He was still laughing when she got her spare clothes out and passed him a second time on her way to the bathroom to change.

As she shoved the door open, she heard him call out, "Berry, wait!"

He snorted in laughter immediately after the words, so she completely tuned him out as she let the door close behind her.

ooooo

As the bathroom door swung shut, Puck thought that he probably shouldn't have laughed about the slushie. He couldn't help it though; he was frustrated as hell. Sure, he hid it well (_he is a fuckin' stud_), but that didn't change that he felt it (_damn shitty feelings_). His night with Staci had flat-out blown (and _not_ in the good way). She was crappy in bed and selfish as hell; it may have been the worst sex he'd ever had. He didn't get that; she had slept with half the basketball team. Then it just got worse. As he was reaching for his boxers, her weightlifter dad had opened the bedroom door. Apparently her parents had decided to cut their trip short. He'd had to climb out of her window (thank God it was on the first floor), bare-ass naked, and sprint to his truck. When he'd got home (still exposed-he wondered if he'd ever see his clothes again and _damn it-that was his favorite fucking shirt_), his mom had just shook her head in disappointment and suggested he pack a spare outfit in his truck for the future (okay, so he may have done the nude sprint home more than once).

So, he was not in a good mood when he'd gotten to school that morning. It didn't get any better when Beyonce and Mercedes had cornered him in the parking lot as he got out of his truck. They wanted to know what he was doing about the Rachel situation. And then they had threatened again to persuade someone else to help out. He had told them to back the fuck off because he had this.

_Yeah_.

Last night, after he'd closed himself in his room and put some clothes on, he had actually tried to figure out what to do about Berry. He'd even pulled out his guitar to strum it for a while because he always thought better that way. What he'd figured out? _Not a damn thing_.

So when he'd told the gossip girls to back off, he hadn't known what in the hell he was going to do. He just didn't want them getting some random guy to sleep with Berry. He was pretty sure Brittany would be pissed at him if he let that happen. As he'd walked into the school and spotted her at her locker, he'd decided the only reason she hadn't responded to his obvious natural charms yesterday was because she was pissed off at Finn. So he'd gone to her, turned on the charm, and asked her to hang out again.

And just like yesterday she'd shot him down.

_What the fuck?_

Okay, so far he was a huge failure in the relax Berry plan. He'd turned the charm to high this morning, yet she didn't seem to care. He just didn't understand it; he'd never met a girl who was immune to him. He didn't even think one existed. So how the hell was he supposed to relax her if she wouldn't let him anywhere near her? He'd followed her because his best idea was to force her to be around him as often as possible. Maybe he'd wear her down then (and he couldn't fuckin' believe he had to resort to that). It was only when she'd been freaking out over Regionals (again) that he'd realized just how much she really does need to relax and not just for the sake of the everyone else. So he'd blurted out that he was going to take her out that night. And she'd denied him again.

Then she'd gotten hit with a slushie and he'd laughed (_what? It was fuckin' funny_). He'd seen the way she'd looked at him as she'd passed with her clothes and realized he'd probably ruined any progress that he'd made with her (_which admittedly wasn't a whole fuckin' lot_).

He was still gonna show up at her house at seven anyway.

Turning to head to class (homeroom, so he was cool with going), he had only gone about two steps when someone smacked him really hard in the back of the head.

"What the hell?" he yelled as he spun around and found himself face to face with Mike.

"I'd ask you the same thing. You're supposed to be relaxing her, not laughing at her. That's not helping dude," Mike informed him before falling into step with him since they shared the same homeroom.

"Since when do you care?" Puck asked. "I've never even seen you talk to her."

"I haven't, but Brittany really likes her for some reason." He saw the disbelieving look Puck threw him and shrugged. "I know; it's weird as hell. But even an idiot could see that she's had to put up with a lot of crap and she just keeps moving on. I respect that. Anyway, Brittany wants me to keep an eye on you around Rachel when she can't and make sure you keep your hands off her."

That pissed him off a little. "I said I wouldn't fuck her, so I'm not going to."

"I know dude. I told you Brittany likes her; she thinks someone needs to watch out for Rachel and apparently she's decided she's gonna do it. So she's dragged me into it," Mike explained as they took desks next to each other.

"If she's so worried about what I'll do to Berry, then why didn't she put a stop to this whole idea?" Puck questioned. It seemed fuckin' strange that Brittany would go along with the plan if she didn't want him anywhere near Berry.

An uncharacteristically angry expression crossed the other boy's face. "The initial plan was to talk one of the hockey guys into sleeping with her. Kurt said he has inside information that most of the guys would have sex with her if they didn't have to admit to it in public. And if he couldn't talk one of them into it, then he was going to pay someone."

_I knew it_, Puck thought to himself. He had a strange urge to hunt Kurt down and throw him in a dumpster. _That shit wasn't kosher_.

Mike was still talking. "Brittany panicked when she heard that and offered you up instead. She knew the others would go with it because of your rep and she knew Rachel would be hurt if she found out someone had slept with her because of their plan. Apparently she also thought Rachel was already having sex with Finn, but she didn't mention that until Kurt said that Finn hadn't had sex with her yet. I wonder why she didn't," he mused.

Puck nodded in understanding. "So that's why she cornered me after and asked me not to have sex with Berry?"

"Yep."

Puck was impressed. _Who knew Brittany had it in her to manipulate the entire club like that?_ "That was pretty fuckin' skilled for a girl who thinks that brown cows give chocolate milk."

Mike chuckled. "Yeah, I'm pretty proud of my girl right now. I was pissed when I heard their plan." He frowned thoughtfully. "Actually, Quinn was surprisingly angry about it too."

"She does have that strong Christian thing going on; I doubt she'd be okay with paying for sex."

Mike's frown disappeared. "That makes sense." He shook his head to clear his thoughts. "Anyway, if you don't succeed they intend to go through with that plan. So you need to get close to Rachel. Not laughing at her when she gets slushied would be a good start."

"It's not like I slushied her," he defended himself. "But, dude, I'm a fuckin' stud; I won't have a problem getting close to her."

Mike's expression showed that he had serious doubts about that and if Puck were honest, he'd agree.

_Fuckin' Berry. She just had to be different_.

ooooo

Rachel was in the hallway after lunch when someone grabbed her arm. Immediately expecting an attack, she wrenched her arm free as she glanced over her shoulder to see who it was (_she wasn't going to blow her rape whistle unless she needed to_). To her great surprise, it was Brittany.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you," she said sheepishly.

Rachel smiled kindly at her, hiding her confusion. "It's okay. A teenage girl can just never be too careful."

Brittany nodded. "Oh, I know. The boys around here are awful. Well, except for Mike; he's really sweet."

"I'm glad, since he is your boyfriend," Rachel replied. This was possibly the most surreal conversation she had ever been a part of. "Umm, did you need something Brittany?"

"No, it's just..." she hesitated, clearly unsure if she should go on.

Rachel, sensing it might be something important, prodded her. "It's okay. Just tell me what it is; if I can help I will."

Brittany smiled brightly at her for a moment, but then she frowned. "Are you and Finn dating? 'Cause I saw you kissing in the auditorium on Monday."

_Definitely wasn't expecting that._ "No, we're not dating. We're just friends." It nearly killed her to say it.

"Then why were you kissing?" Brittany appeared to be very confused.

Rachel was stumped; how should she answer that question? She took her best shot. "He had finally gotten a part of the choreography right that he'd been having trouble with, so I got really excited and kissed him."

"Oh," Brittany looked like she didn't believe her but then she brightened. "I thought you'd been dating him since January, but I'm really glad I'm wrong. If you were dating him then he would have been cheating on you."

A fear settled in the vicinity of Rachel's heart. "What do you mean?"

"I have a,' she paused, frowning in thought, before asking, "If I have five senses then would an extra sense be called the sixth?"

Rachel nodded, slightly amused (it was a really weird question).

"'Kay then. I have a sixth sense that lets me know when people have had sex. Finn had sex last month, but I can tell you never have, so if you and him were dating, then he would have cheated on you. That's why I'm really glad you're not dating," she stated happily. "See you later." She scurried off down the hall to join Santana and Quinn.

Rachel couldn't believe what Brittany had just told her. Finn had had sex? Granted, they weren't officially together, but she thought they were as good as a couple, even if it was just in private. But then again, this was Brittany and she was relying on an extra sense, not any factual information, to draw that conclusion. Still a voice in the back of her mind taunted her: _But she knew you and Finn got together back in January._

Wishing to quiet the voice, Rachel skipped lunch to head to the auditorium. She had intended to stay after school to practice one of her choices for their group number and make some notes on it (she hoped that if she did the hard work of marking the harmonies Mr. Schuester would be so relieved he'd use the song no questions asked), but she supposed she could do that now. It would take her mind off what Brittany had said.

She had been working for twenty minutes of her thirty minute lunch when she realized she really needed someone to cover the male vocals so that she could organize the harmonies effectively. She only had the backing music with her and on top of that the male and female vocals on this particular song were so intertwined that it was hard to time her vocals without the male vocals to assist her. It was so frustrating that she hit stop on the music and backed up to the beginning of the song.

She had just sang the first line again when she realized it was hopeless. Until she could get Finn to help her, she wasn't going to make any progress on this. She hated the feeling of helplessness that she had right now. She erased the marks that she'd made on the sheet music she'd printed off the internet (her notes were probably inaccurate anyway) and was gathering the papers together when she heard footsteps coming up the stairs.

"Giving up Berry?"

Sighing, she addressed Puck without looking up. "I'm really not in the mood for you to laugh at me right now Noah (_his reaction the slushie still stung_). Please just leave me alone."

She really hoped that he'd listen for once, but of course he didn't. Instead he stopped behind her and read over her shoulder.

"You're working on 'Bring Me to Life'? Why?"

He sounded genuinely curious, so she was willing to answer him. "I think it would be a good song for Regionals. It's both emotional and a unique choice for a glee club. It tells a real story."

"Of course it's for Regionals," he muttered. She guessed she wasn't supposed to hear that because he raised his voice with his next words. "So what's the problem? Why are you giving up if you think it's a good choice?"

She sighed again and turned to face him, the sheet music clutched in her right hand. "I need someone to sing the male vocals in order to accurately mark the harmonies. I love the song, but I'm having a hard time singing by myself because the song is just missing something without the male parts. There's no point in continuing until I can get someone to help me out."

She turned back around to unhook her I-Pod docking station so she could pack up. Checking her watch she saw that there were still seven minutes of lunch left. Maybe she could still grab something to eat. She was so absorbed in her thoughts (a cheeseburger would be so tasty right now) that she didn't notice the conflicting emotions racing across Puck's face as he fought with himself.

"I could help."

His voice made her jump; she had forgotten he was there. _Wait, did he just volunteer to assist her?_

"Did you just say you'd help?" she asked in disbelief, turning her head to look at him.

"Yeah, Berry, I'll fucking help." He scowled as he said it.

She frowned at his expression. "Well don't look too excited or anything. I wouldn't want you to hurt yourself," she said sarcastically.

"Damn it Berry. Just accept my fucking offer."

She rolled her eyes, but handed him the sheet music. "Have you ever heard the song?"

"Yeah. It was all over the fuckin' radio a few years ago," he reminded her.

"Okay. Try not to mess it up," she admonished him, ignoring his renewed scowl, as she hooked her I-Pod back up, found the song, and clicked play. As soon as the opening notes had finished, she began to sing the first verse, which was hers alone.

_How can you see into my eyes like open doors?  
Leading you down into my core where I've become so numb  
Without a soul, my spirit sleeping somewhere cold  
Until you find it there and lead it back home_

She looked over at Puck, wondering if he would actually follow through, and was surprised to find him watching her with a strange expression on his face. It quickly disappeared as he sang his first line of the chorus that they would share.

**Wake me up**  
_(Wake me up inside)_  
**I can't wake up**  
_(Wake me up inside)_  
**Save me**  
_(Call my name and save me from the dark)_

**Wake me up**  
_(Bid my blood to run)_  
**I can't wake up**  
_(Before I come undone)_  
**Save me**  
_(Save me from the nothing I've become)_

Rachel was surprised at how well their voices meshed together; they had never actually sang a duet before. She didn't have long to think about it though as she began the second verse.

_Now that I know what I'm without  
You can't just leave me  
Breathe into me and make me real  
Bring me to life  
_  
**Wake me up**  
_(Wake me up inside)_  
**I can't wake up**  
_(Wake me up inside)_  
**Save me**  
_(Call my name and save me from the dark)  
_  
**Wake me up**  
_(Bid my blood to run)_  
**I can't wake up**  
_(Before I come undone)_  
**Save me**  
_(Save me from the nothing I've become)_

_Bring me to life_**  
I've been living a lie  
There's nothing inside**  
_Bring me to life_

As she sang the next part, she threw all the emotion into the words that she could muster.

_Frozen inside without your touch  
Without your love, darling  
Only you are the life among the dead_

While she held the last note, Puck started into the rapping section.

**All this time, I can't believe I couldn't see  
Kept in the dark but you were there in front of me**  
_I've been sleeping a thousand years it seems  
Got to open my eyes to everything_

**Without thought, without voice, without a soul  
Don't let me die here  
There must be something more**  
_Bring me to life_

As their voices mingled through the previous section, she was again struck by how good they sounded together.

**Wake me up**  
_(Wake me up inside)_  
**I can't wake up**  
_(Wake me up inside)_  
**Save me**  
_(Call my name and save me from the dark)_

**Wake me up**  
_(Bid my blood to run)_  
**I can't wake up**  
_(Before I come undone)_  
**Save me**  
_(Save me from the nothing I've become)_

_Bring me to life_  
**I've been living a lie  
**_(Bring me to life)_  
**There's nothing inside**  
_Bring me to life_

She held the final note as long as the song required and when she finished, she gasped in air. Puck was again staring at her with an unreadable expression on his face. When she'd regained her breath, she just had to ask.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" A thought struck her that made her nervous. "Was it no good?" She didn't want to believe that because she liked to think she could handle anything, but she had been worried this song would tax her ability.

He blinked a few times as if he was dazed. "I actually didn't think you'd rock it quite so fuckin' hard."

She frowned and tried to decipher the Puck-speak. "Does that mean it was good?"

He smirked, "Yeah, babe, it was damn good. You should definitely suggest it to Schue."

Rachel beamed at him. Maybe he wasn't so bad after all, she mused as the end-of-lunch bell rang.

He dropped the sheet music on top of the piano and as he took the steps off the stage two at a time, he called back, "Pick you up at seven!".

Then again, maybe she had been right about him all along.

ooooo

At 7:05 Puck pulled his truck up to the curb in front of Berry's house. He was weirded out by the day he'd had. It had started with his conversation with Mike during homeroom and continued with lunch, when he'd helped Berry with her song. He still couldn't believe he'd volunteered to sing a duet with her, even if she was the only one who'd ever know.

And that was a fuckin' strange experience in itself. He always got bored in glee, so he never paid attention to the singing (plus Schue had fuckin' awful taste in music). After he'd heard the same sucky song over and over again, he didn't even hear the words; he just focused on the choreography enough to keep Berry off his back (she was fuckin' scary when she thought you were screwing with the numbers). Since all of their focus had been on that sappy song for Regionals during the last three practices, he hadn't actually listened to Berry sing in a long time, only vaguely heard her.

But that had changed today. When she had sung the first verse, the power in her voice had nearly knocked him off his feet. During the chorus it had hit him that they sounded damn good together and that wasn't something he had expected. She had a hell of a strong voice; half the time she overpowered Finn and he was the fuckin' lead in the club. So he had fully expected to suck (though he'd sure as hell never admit it) next to her (she had an awesome voice; he'd always been able to admit that), but he hadn't. She hadn't overpowered him at all. Instead their voices had a contrast that worked well for the song. When the music had come to an end (with her holding that fucking long note-her lung capacity had some interesting possibilities-_that Brittany would kill him for exploring, damn it_), he had been dazed. It was one thing to sing backup to Berry; it was something very different to sing with her.

She'd woken him back up when she'd asked if she hadn't been good. He'd wanted to laugh because _seriously?_ He was standing there fuckin' stunned by her voice and she thought she'd sucked? So, he'd been honest with her and he was glad he had when he saw her smile as brightly as she did. And that had led to his weird-ass rest of the day.

He had actually started thinking of things he could do to get closer to her as commanded. When he tried his best moves, she didn't respond. But when he had helped her with her song, he thought she had softened some. He couldn't help but remember the way she had smiled when he'd sang 'Sweet Caroline' to her during their one week either. He'd realized that the way to Berry's friendship was music. So he'd come up with a brilliant plan for tonight that would play to that and relax her (because she sure as shit needed it).

As he climbed out of his truck and noticed Finn's car in the driveway, he figured he'd have to postpone his plans. No way in hell was Berry going to leave Finn (the guy she loved) to go out with him (the guy she tolerated at best). If Finn was with her, she was probably relaxed though, so he was off the hook for the night. He still rang the doorbell anyway (it might make his job easier if she knew he'd keep his promises, even the ones she didn't want him to make). A few moments later one of her dads (the short, nerdy one) answered the door.

"Can I help you?" he asked, casting a wary look at Puck's (fuckin' awesome) mohawk.

"I need to talk to Ber... er, Rachel," he corrected himself. Berry could mean three different people at this house.

He nodded. "Just a moment." Leaving the door open he went to the foot of the stairs and called Rachel's name before turning back to Puck who had followed him inside. "She has company so she probably won't be able to talk long."

They waited in an awkward silence until Rachel came down the stairs. Only then did her father leave the foyer (did he think Puck was going to trash the place or something? _Fuckin' bigot, judging him on his hair_).

"Noah?" Rachel was frowning at him from the bottom step. "What are you doing here?"

Puck rolled his eyes in annoyance. "I told you I'd be here at seven at least three fuckin' times today Berry."

She hesitated before slowly saying, "I didn't actually expect you to come though." Her voice strengthened. "I told you I wasn't interested in going anywhere with you. Why can't you accept that?"

Puck ignored that question (what was he supposed to say? Because if I don't spend time with you, the glee club is going to pay someone to have sex with you? _Yeah, that'd go over real fuckin' well_) and instead said, "I'll head home so you can get back to fucking Finn," he smirked at her and she blushed at the suggestion, "but next time I make plans with you, don't stand me up."

He left the house, Berry standing silently on the same step.

As he climbed into his truck, he grinned. He liked a speechless Berry.

ooooo

After Noah left, Rachel headed back upstairs deep in thought. He had actually shown up. She knew he had said he was going to, but she hadn't truly expected him to follow through. She had figured he was just trying to annoy her by saying that. _He had actually shown up_. She'd seen it with her own eyes but she still couldn't believe it. _What was he thinking?_

When she entered her room and saw Finn sprawled on her bed, all thoughts of Puck disappeared. Rachel blushed as she thought that Finn looked really good on her bed. She really shouldn't think like that, but they had been together for nearly four months, so perhaps it was okay. A gnawing worry in her stomach reminded her of Brittany's words as she thought about sex with Finn though.

"Do your dads need you? I can leave if they do," Finn offered.

"No." She didn't want to mention Noah; she didn't think that would go over well (even though they were talking, Finn was still touchy about him). "Finn, I need to ask you a question."

If she didn't ask him about what Brittany had said, she might die of nerves.

"Sure, Rach, you know you can ask me anything," he replied, flashing her an easy smile.

"Have you had sex?" She thought it would be best to start with that rather than basically accusing him of cheating on her (at least in her eyes since she thought they were together).

He turned bright red and shifted his gaze away from hers, causing her to frown.

"You know I love you Rachel, but I don't know if we're ready for that. It's a really big step and I want you to be sure when we do have sex," he answered.

Rachel smiled; that was such a sweet answer, very Finn. Then it hit her. _He said he loves her_!

She squealed happily and pounced him on the bed, pressing her lips to his. _He loves her!_ This had to mean they would take their relationship public soon. They spent the next hour making out (_where had he learned restraint?_ his little problem hadn't reared its head in nearly a month) until he broke apart from her and said he had to go.

"I have plans with the guys Rach," he explained when she expressed her disappointment.

It wasn't until she heard his car start that she realized he had never actually answered her question.

A/N: Sorry about the Finn kissing, but some Rachel kissing other guy(s) is going to happen in this story for me to get the plot to where I want it. Also, the song Puck and Rachel sing is 'Bring Me to Life' by Evanescence featuring Paul McCoy.


	3. Chapter 3

Spoilers: Only up to 'Sectionals' though stuff from the back 9 may pop in if I think it fits with my plot line.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot. Also, some of this is from Puck's viewpoint, and he's kind of an offensive guy, so I'd like to point out that his viewpoints don't always reflect mine. I don't own 'Bring Me to Life' or 'Walking on Sunshine'.  
A/N: Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed my story so far. You're all awesome! I hope you enjoy this chapter; the first section is written slightly differently than how I normally write, mostly because this story is going to cover more than just a few days like the last one. I'm pretty happy with how it came out, but I'd love to know what you guys think. As always, please read and review. Thanks!

"Are you free tonight?"

Rachel looked up from her math book to find Puck leaning over from the desk next to hers.

"Since this is the first time you've actually attended a math class in two years, maybe you should pay attention," she responded, ignoring his question.

He frowned at her but pulled back out of the aisle to watch the teacher write on the board. She was astonished that he had actually listened to her. He had been acting so strange since practice on Tuesday. Because _really?_ Breaking their 'ignore and avoid' policy that day and then singing with her yesterday, not to mention the whole showing up at her house thing-_so not normal_. And then today. He was actually in math. She'd never seen him come to class; she didn't even know he was _in_ trig with her! When she saw him pick up his pencil and start taking notes out of the corner of her eye, she nearly dropped her own pencil.

ooooo

"You know you totally want to take a ride with the Puckerone," Puck claimed as he ambushed Berry coming out of the restroom Friday morning.

He'd been down the hall when one of the hockey team bastards had slushied her. He'd watched her take it stoically before getting her change of clothes out of her locker (he wondered if she kept a set of clothes in there or if she brought a new outfit each day-_why the fuck did it matter?_) and going to the restroom to change. He was pretty proud of himself; he'd overcome his first reaction at the sight and hadn't laughed (it was still fuckin' hilarious though). So he decided to wait for her outside of the restroom; it would be a good chance to show that he wasn't laughing and maybe win a few points (because he damn sure needed them). Plus, he'd been springing his invitations on her at a different time each day. Maybe if he caught her by surprise she'd agree to hang out with him (and he shouldn't have to fuckin' do that; she should have fallen at his feet like _every other girl_ would have by now).

She paused at his question long enough to glare up at him and answer.

"Again, I am not having sex with you."

Then she walked off to put her slushie drenched clothes back in her locker. _Why the fuck had she said that?_

When he put two and two together, he laughed and shouted after her, "I said ride with, not ride on!"

ooooo

"Put your shoes on; we're going out."

Rachel stared in disbelief at the boy standing on her front porch. It was Saturday; she wasn't supposed to have to deal with Puck's advances today. In fact, she'd completely let her guard down based on that assumption. She'd been upstairs curling her hair when the doorbell had rang. Because her fathers had taken a day trip to Dayton for shopping, she'd had to answer the door. She definitely wasn't expecting to find Puck standing on the other side waiting to take her out.

"I'm not going anywhere with you. Besides Finn should be here in twenty minutes," she replied as she shut the door in his face.

When he cursed loudly on the other side, she smiled. She may not plan to go anywhere with him, but she was kind of growing to like the fact that he kept asking.

ooooo

"If you want ice cream Berry, all you have to do is ask. I'd take you."

Puck had come to the store to pick up eggs for his mom. She was making matzo ball soup for his sister's family birthday dinner (she had specially requested it) and she had overestimated the eggs she had left. He hadn't expected to see Berry today since he had to be home (it was his sister's birthday after all and his mom would fuckin' kill him if he missed it), so when he'd turned down the cooler section to get the eggs and found Berry staring longingly at the ice cream on the other side of the aisle, he thanked Moses for the good luck. It made up for the fuckin' bad luck of showing up at her damn house yesterday just to get told that Finn was coming over (again).

Berry sighed deeply. "I would love some chocolate, but that's not going to happen. Do you know what the dairy would do to my voice? And not to mention what the calories would do to my figure."

Puck gaped at her then quickly closed his mouth (that was not badass). She was worried about her voice and her body? _What the fuck?_ She could eat two gallons of ice cream and still sound better than anyone else he'd ever heard. And under all that crazy she was fuckin' hot. So, he told her that (yes, in those exact words).

She laughed, softly sure, but it was real (he was oddly proud that he was able to cause that). "Thank you Noah, but I have a rule not to buy ice cream. If I break that rule once, I'm afraid it will become a habit." She walked to the end of the aisle and before rounding the corner, she called back with a small smile, "And I'm not going out with you!"

When Puck paid out, he was happy to see that Berry's car was still in the parking lot. He picked her passenger side lock (_what? It was a badass skill_) and left the extra item he'd picked up in her front passenger's seat.

He had to drive right home or risk his mom's wrath (Jewish mothers can guilt-trip like no others) so he missed her delighted giggle when she entered her car five minutes later and spotted the single serving container of chocolate Haagen-Dazs.

ooooo

"You fucking Finn tonight or can I come over?"

Rachel pulled her locker door open roughly to shove some books in and pull others out. School was over for the day and since it was Monday, they didn't have glee. Rachel was not happy to find Puck waiting for her when she'd reached her locker. She had actually softened toward him yesterday when she had found the ice cream in the flavor she wanted and a single serving that wouldn't ruin her voice. It was very sweet of him and she thought maybe they could be friends. This morning though, she'd been reminded that she couldn't trust him when she'd caught him coming out of the second floor janitor's closet after sixth period with one of the volleyball girls. He was pulling up his zipper, and she'd remembered who and what he was. He was only ever interested in one thing and one thing only. He didn't do the just friends with girls.

She slammed her locker shut and turned to him. "Don't you have a closet you should be defiling right now?"

The expression on his face turned cautious. "What?"

She rolled her eyes at him. _Was he really so clueless?_

"Wait, is this about Kerie Lochlin? That meant nothing; it was just a quick fuck," he said.

"Exactly." She turned to leave, but only took a few steps before spinning back around to face him and say what was on her mind. "You can't buy sex with ice cream."

As she walked away she missed the confusion on his face that quickly turned to annoyance as he absorbed her words.

ooooo

**All this time, I can't believe I couldn't see  
Kept in the dark but you were there in front of me**

Rachel frowned and reached over to stop the music. _Why wasn't this working?_

"Finn, you can't just speak the words. They have to actually mean something," she coached him.

"I'm trying, but I don't get why you're putting so much effort into this song," the tall boy stated. "It doesn't seem like a good choice for Regionals. It's not very fun or happy."

"It doesn't have to be either of those things. The best choices for competition are the ones that will evoke powerful emotions. This song expresses longing in its purest form, so if we can get it right, it will do that. It will make an impression on the judges, thus increasing our chances to win," she explained, irritated by his lack of faith. "And to get it right, you need to pour emotion into the words. Also, that portion of the song is more like rapping than singing. Do we need to listen to the album version again?" She had added it to her I-Pod after her session with Noah.

Last night while they were on the phone, Rachel had asked Finn to meet her in the auditorium at lunch today and help her work on 'Bring Me to Life'. She had made a few notes from her memory of her practice with Puck, but she needed Finn's help to refine them. She also wanted the two of them to have the song down perfectly so that they could present it to Mr. Schuester with most of the work already done (she thought he couldn't really argue with a song where the two leads were already completely in sync this close to Regionals). The only problem was that Finn just wasn't getting it (though she secretly feared she was the problem and Puck had been merely humoring her last Wednesday).

"God, no," Finn responded immediately. Rachel grimaced at him and he hurried on. "I don't need to listen to the song. Just restart the music and I'll try again."

Slightly happier, Rachel reached over and restarted the song from the beginning. They still had five minutes left before the bell would ring and that was enough for one more full run-through. After the opening notes, she began to sing.

When they finished the song, Rachel was just about ready to pull her hair out (and she had beautiful hair, so that showed just how frustrated she was). For some reason she and Finn just couldn't pull it together for this song. She hated that she and Puck had been better together in one try than she and Finn had been in their approximately six gos (not counting the partial ones) over lunch. She and Puck didn't even get along. In fact, they hadn't spoken since their confrontation yesterday (okay, so it may have been one-sided, but she still considered it a confrontation). She hadn't even seen him today and she was really hoping he'd skip math like he usually did (although he had attended all of their trig classes since the first time he'd shown up-_so three total_).

Finn was giving her that puppy dog look that told her he wanted praise. With a sigh, she did what good girlfriends do. Smiling brightly, she lied through her teeth.

"That was really good Finn; definitely an improvement over the other times," she said in a cheery voice (her internal perfectionist was screaming at her).

Finn returned her smile with a genuine one of his own. "Thanks Rach. I knew it was a good song choice." The bell rang and he swooped down to give her a quick kiss. "I'll see you at glee."

As he hurried off to class, Rachel sighed. Five minutes ago he was complaining about the song, but now he liked it? _He was so indecisive_.

ooooo

"Hey Rachel!"

When Rachel heard her name in the hallway between sixth and seventh period, she looked around to see who was calling her (always a dangerous thing because half the time it was just someone who wanted her to turn around so they could slushie her). She gave a small smile when she saw Brittany hurrying up to her. The blonde tripped over Jacob Ben-Israel, shoving him into the lockers. When she stopped in front of Rachel, she shuddered.

"Eww, Jacob germs," she commented, a disgusted look on her face.

Rachel laughed; she couldn't help it. "At least he doesn't have any of your panties."

Brittany's eyes widened. "What?"

"What?" Rachel responded back trying to deflect Brittany. She couldn't believe she had said that!

"You just said Jacob Ben-Israel has a pair of your panties."

"No I didn't."

"Yes, you did."

"No I really didn't."

"Yes, you did!"

Rachel shook her head. This was going nowhere, so she changed the subject. "Did you need something from me Brittany?"

She was still staring at Rachel suspiciously but she didn't question her any further. "I'm having some people over to my house on Saturday. Do you want to come?"

To say Rachel was surprised by the invitation would be the understatement of the year. To say she was touched to be included would also undervalue her feelings. Because Brittany was staring at her with a hopeful expression clear on her face and in her eyes. She truly wanted Rachel to come.

"I'd be pleased to attend," Rachel said somewhat formally (she wasn't sure what to say when someone invited her out; the only person who ever asked her to hang out was Finn and that was always at her house except for the one time they went bowling-she didn't count Noah since he didn't want to hang out with her so much as sleep with her, in her opinion).

Brittany gave a small hop of happiness. "Yay! I'll give you my phone number and address in glee."

As Rachel watched her rush back down the hall, running into Karofsky and knocking him into the girls' restroom (he jumped back out two seconds later, red in the face as the girls screamed), Rachel's grin widened. She had a feeling she'd have fun Saturday as long as the other people Brittany had invited were nice to her or at least left her alone.

ooooo

Puck walked into the choir room about fifteen minutes before glee started. He was looking for Berry and he knew she was so fucking obsessed with glee that she always showed up way before practice ever started. He needed to get back on track with the plan; Kurt had approached him yet again after lunch. When he saw that Berry was sitting in her usual chair (front row center), glaring at the sheet music balanced on her knees, he was glad she was so damn predictable.

"Don't you have a life?" he asked. Internally he winced. That probably wasn't gonna help any (but he was still so fucking pissed about what she'd said yesterday-he'd never pay for sex in any form-he was a fuckin' stud, and anyway that's not what he was after with her).

She didn't even glance up (and that pissed him off even more) when she said, "I'm having problems with this song, so leave me alone. I'm not having sex with you."

He came to a stop in front of her, so close that she was forced to look up at him. "I don't want to have sex with you Berry. You're too fuckin' scary for that."

He saw the hurt that flitted across her face before she quickly hid it, and for a moment (seriously, like one tenth of a second), he felt bad, but then he remembered she had fuckin' accused him of trying to buy sex with ice cream.

"Fine," she acknowledged his words before going back to her sheet music.

He stood there for a couple of minutes and watched her eyes scan the familiar pages ('Bring Me to Life' again) frantically as she chewed on her pencil's eraser. She looked even crazier than normal.

Reminding himself of his mission, he asked, "What's wrong? I would've thought you'd nailed that song down by now."

She turned her large brown eyes on him again and pulled the pencil from her mouth (_lucky pencil-what? he's a dude_). "I thought I would have too, but I practiced it with Finn at lunch, and it didn't go well. There must be something flawed in the way I've marked the song."

He took the seat next to her and watched as she erased several notes and added a couple more. It was completely silent (and suprisingly not awkward) except for the sound of her writing (and erasing) and the way she would hum each new section before making changes.

After three minutes of this, she broke the silence. "If I sang terribly, you would tell me, right?"

He glanced at her incredulously. "Trust me Berry; if you sucked at anything, I'd be more than happy to tell you."

She rolled her eyes. "Thanks Noah."

She quietly went back to work on the papers. Her brow was furrowed, so he knew she was worrying about something beyond her notes.

"Okay. What the hell's wrong with you Berry?" he finally prompted her.

She met his eyes and he could see her hesitation. After a few seconds, she spoke. "I told you it didn't go well when Finn and I tried this song, but," she hesitated again before the rest rushed out in one long word, "whatifitwasmyfault?"

"Slow it down to human speed Berry."

She scowled at him and repeated, "What if it was my fault?"

As she went back to her notes, Puck couldn't believe that she was questioning her talent again (that was the one thing about her that was fuckin' awesome, no questions asked). He was going to take care of this (plus, it was a damn good chance to get on her good side again).

"Do you have your I-Pod and docking station with you?"

She lifted her head back up from the sheet music in surprise and took the pencil out of her mouth again. "Of course. I always have them."

He nodded. "Get them out and hook them up. We're going to try out that song again and you'll see that you're not the problem."

With the way she was staring at him, she clearly thought he'd gone fuckin' crazy (and he knew that look; it was the same one he usually wore when he looked at her).

"What the hell are you waiting for? Get the fucking music," he commanded her harshly.

Startled, she leaned over and opened her bag. He watched as she rifled through several pieces of clothing (he felt a tiny twinge of guilt-_how many times a day did she get slushied?_) until she found the two items. Hopping up, she hooked them up on top of the piano and found the song. Then she paused.

"Turn the music the fuck on Berry. We can't do this until you do."

As she hit play, he enjoyed the fact that she was doing what he told her to (he had a feeling it would never happen again).

She sung the first three lines of the verse before he got up, walked over, and stopped the music.

"Cut the self-conscious crap Berry. You're voice is fuckin' good and you know it, so act like it," he demanded before restarting the song.

She glared at him through the opening notes but this time when she started the first verse, she was clearly putting her all into it. He was struck again by how powerful her voice was. He covered his parts easily (like her, he didn't even need the sheet music). As he watched her face, he grew absorbed in the song. He could see every emotion she was feeling there as she sang; it was fucking amazing. She'd close her eyes on lines that hit her really hard. She was so damn believable that he wondered if she was longing for something as strongly as the song described. As the song came to a close, with her holding that impossibly long note, he could feel that same stupor as last time settle over him (and that was so not badass). She beamed up at him though, and he knew he'd done the right thing in making her sing.

Applause broke out from the doorway and they both turned from where they'd been staring at each other to face the door. Mr. Schue was standing there clapping, a wide smile on his face.

"It looks like we've got our ballad for Regionals," he stated.

"What?" Both Puck and Berry asked that.

Schue just spoke over them. "I never would have expected that the two of you were preparing a number, but there's no denying it's excellent."

"But I thought the ballad had to be a solo," Puck protested. He didn't want to sing a fuckin' duet with Berry at Regionals.

"Not necessarily," Schue answered. "Although it is highly unusual for a glee club to submit a duet for their ballad, it's not against the rules. According to the rule book, as long as the song tells a story that stirs the audience's emotions and only one or two members of the show choir sing, it qualifies as the ballad. Your number fits all of those qualities."

He glanced over at Berry to see that her mouth was hanging open in shock. At least he wasn't the only one thrown off by Schue's decision. He opened his mouth to protest, but of course the rest of the glee club would pick that fuckin' moment to enter the room.

"Take your seats you two," Schue directed.

Berry gathered her I-Pod and docking station and retook her normal seat between Mercedes and Finn, who shot a suspicious look at him (_fuckin' hypocrite_), and Puck took his seat in the back corner with Mike and Matt.

"Dude, what's up? You look freaked out," Mike said, leaning over.

Puck just shook his head. He knew Schue'd announce it soon and the question would be answered. Sure enough, they'd no sooner shut the hell up than he told them all.

"I've decided on our ballad. Puck and Rachel will be performing 'Bring Me to Life' by Evanescence."

Everyone was quiet at first but then chaos broke out.

"Damn it diva! You just couldn't let anyone else have it, could you?" Mercedes stated angrily.

"How in the hell did that happen dude?" Mike asked Puck in confusion.

"Yay!" shouted Brittany (he could admit that he kind of chuckled at that).

Those were just the ones he could make out, but he knew that everyone else was talking about it too. Curious about Finn's reaction since Berry had practiced it with him earlier that day and he knew they were together (Finn spent too much time at her house for them not to be), he gazed over at the taller boy's back. He had his head bent toward Berry; Puck could only see his profile, but he looked fucking pissed and they were clearly arguing. When Finn grabbed Rachel's hand and squeezed hard enough to make her wince and jerk it away, Puck kind of wanted to punch the bastard for hurting her (he never did know his own strength). It wasn't her fault Schue had caught them singing together and made the song their ballad. And it wasn't like they were doing anything; Puck was sure Rachel still barely tolerated him. Finally Schue stepped in and got everyone quiet again.

They started to practice the crappy group song. The first two times went okay; Puck had tuned out the music, but he knew they had gotten all the way through the song both times (a fuckin' miracle when Berry's the lead). On the third time through, he was dragged from his thoughts of pool cleaning season (_cougars-fuck yeah!_) when Berry cried out. Glancing up he saw her head bent, a hand covering her right eye.

"Finn, I can't do this with you anymore if you don't start keeping your arms down when you spin or at least start spinning in the right direction," she scolded him.

Finn scowled at her. "Well if you were taller, I wouldn't keep hitting you in the face."

Even with half of her face covered, Puck could see the hurt (he had never realized that she wore her emotions for everyone to see until they had performed that damn song today-he was fuckin' happier before he started noticing).

"I can't just magically grow, Finn." She turned to Schue. "I don't think this is going to work today. My eye is watering terribly right now. Can I just go home?"

Schue approached her and moved her hand. Puck couldn't see Berry's eye, but it made Schue flinch and dismiss the group for the day (no fuckin' point in going on without one of the leads). While he got his shit together, Puck saw Brittany walk up to Berry and hand her something. They exchanged a smile before Berry left. He wondered about that; maybe Britt was coming out of the shadows to protect Berry openly. He watched Finn cast a worried look at the door and then throw his bag over a shoulder and rush out of the room after her.

When Puck passed Brittany and Quinn, and he heard Quinn ask, "Is her eye okay?" in a worried tone, he decided something.

The entire fucking glee club had gone Berry-ass crazy.

ooooo

"Rachel, I am so, so sorry."

Rachel frowned at Finn. She had only been home for ten minutes when he had rung the doorbell. When she answered the door, she had an ice pack pressed to her eye where he had hit her (on accident of course, but it still hurt-even worse than when he backhanded her cheek a week ago). He was standing in front of her with his head lowered and peering up at her through his lashes, a sheepish expression on his face.

"It's fine Finn; I know you didn't mean to hit me (_besides it was the insult about her height that had truly hurt_)." She stepped aside and gestured for him to come in. He did, beaming widely.

They went up to her room so that they would have privacy when her fathers came home. While Finn sat down on the edge of her bed, Rachel took a seat in her desk chair. Finn frowned at her distance but didn't say anything about it. They sat in silence for several minutes (it was strangely awkward; she had been more comfortable with Noah that afternoon and that was just odd). Finn was fidgeting, so Rachel waited for him to finally break (he never held back what he wanted to say for very long). She didn't have to wait long.

"Why were you singing with Puck? That song was supposed to be ours!" he burst out.

Rachel sighed; she had known this was coming ever since their argument in glee. He had been furious that Mr. Schuester had picked her and Puck to perform their ballad at Regionals; she didn't think she'd ever seen him so angry (except for when he found out the baby wasn't his and punched Puck). He had accused her of cheating on him and then grabbed her hand in a barbaric display of 'claiming her' as he put it. He obviously hadn't realized how hard he had gripped her because she could feel her bones crunching together. She had flinched in pain and jerked her hand away from him, explaining that Noah had merely been helping her work on the song since there was some time left before practice started. He didn't look very reassured though, so she knew he would bring it up the next time they were alone (and, as usual, she had been right).

"I told you-he was just helping me out because we both had some free time. It was nothing more than that."

"It's always more than that with Puck. He doesn't help girls out with anything unless he thinks it'll get him laid. And he always goes after my girlfriends," Finn argued.

"How would he even know that we're together? It's not like you've ever shown any sort of romantic affection to me in public; as far as everyone else is concerned, we're nothing more than friends," she reminded him. Okay, so this wasn't technically true; Puck clearly realized that she and Finn were together and Brittany had also picked up on it, but Finn didn't have to know that (in the back of her mind, she happily registered that he considered her his girlfriend).

Finn grimaced. "Everyone knows that you're mine even when we're not together; they know to keep their hands off you."

Rachel snorted (_no, it wasn't star behavior_, but she couldn't help herself). "I am an independent woman; I belong to no one but myself. No one can put their hands on me unless I want them to," she said. Then she calmed, removed the ice pack (he winced at the sight of her eye) and crossed the room to sit sideways on his lap, her hands curled around his forearm. "And you're the only one I want to have his hands on me." Leaning over, she planted a soft kiss on his lips.

Finn deepened the kiss momentarily before pulling back. "We're going public tomorrow. I want everyone to know that you're with me."

Turning her torso to face him more fully, she happily bounced on his lap (he groaned) as she threw her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his. Finally! After waiting for so long for him to break up with Quinn and secretly seeing him for months, she was finally going to get what she had always wanted. Finn was going to be her official boyfriend, even in public.

ooooo

When Rachel arrived at school early the next morning (she was always early; she liked to have time to clean or paint the graffiti off her locker and the restroom walls before everyone else saw it-after the fifth time, the janitor stopped bothering with it, but Figgins stocked paint for her so that her fathers wouldn't sue), she was ecstatic. Honestly, she felt perhaps the happiest she had ever felt. Today was going to be a wonderful day-she would get to hold hands with Finn and kiss him in the hallways in front of everyone. She would no longer have to feel like his dirty little secret (she tried to ignore that feeling most of the time, but occasionally it was so overwhelming she thought she would suffocate); it was like the sun had come out on their relationship and the whole world looked brighter for it. She was humming 'Walking on Sunshine' as she approached her locker.

When she saw the word 'SLUT' written down the front of her locker in large black letters, she didn't lose her smile or break her humming as she moved to the nearest supply closet. She was in such a fantastic mood that nothing could bring her down, not even the cruelty of her classmates. If she got slushied seven times today (her record was five), she would still smile because her life was in an excellent place right now. Finn not only loved her, but also wanted everyone to know that he did.

When she pulled open the closet door, she was surprised to see her boyfriend's back.

But she was completely stunned to hear a girl's breathy voice moan out, 'Oh, Finn'.


	4. Chapter 4

Spoilers: Only up to 'Sectionals' though stuff from the back 9 may pop in if I think it fits with my plot line.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot. Also, some of this is from Puck's viewpoint, and he's kind of an offensive guy, so I'd like to point out that his viewpoints don't always reflect mine. I don't own '(I've Had) the Time of My Life) or the song used later on.

A/N: Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed the first three chapters. You're all just so awesome! I hope you enjoy the events of this chapter. I would like to acknowledge wickedglee. I included your requests in this chapter, though I had to modify them to suit my storyline; I hope I did them justice. As always, please read and review. Thanks!

"Finn?" Rachel whispered loudly, staring at her boyfriend's back.

He jumped and spun around, causing the girl Rachel couldn't see to let out a squeak of pain. When Rachel realized that his jeans and boxers were around his knees, she averted her gaze from him. She wasn't going to see her very first penis under these circumstances; that might just ruin any desire for sex she might ever have. As the situation sunk in, she could feel her stomach start to turn.

"Manhands? Interrupt much?"

Santana's voice broke through her stupor. She couldn't believe this. Finn had cheated on her with Santana? _Why?_ Why would he ruin everything to have sex with the same girl _everyone_ slept with? Shifting her gaze from Finn, who had apparently been stunned motionless, she instead took in Santana, who was readjusting the spankies under her cheer uniform.

"Did you enjoy watching my boyfriend fuck me?" the cheerleader asked with a sneer.

"Your boyfriend?" Rachel was very confused by those words and her nausea was growing. "But, he's my boyfriend. We've been together since January. He said he loves me."

Rachel saw the pain that flashed across Santana's face before she covered it up.

"Rachel, she means nothing to me." Finn had obviously regained his coherency. "I love you. You have to let me explain."

Upon hearing those three little words, words that had made her so happy the first time he'd said them but which just mocked now, Rachel's nausea bubbled up. Clapping a hand over her mouth, she sprinted out of the closet and down the hall past Brittany, Mike, Quinn, and Puck to the the nearest restroom.

"Rach, wait!" Finn yelled from behind her.

Rachel had just finished emptying the contents of her stomach into the toilet when the bathroom door opened.

"Rachel?" a soft voice called out.

Sitting back on her heels, Rachel couldn't decide if she wanted to answer or not. She definitely didn't look her best right now; she couldn't possibly. She was crying so hard she could barely breathe and she knew her mascara was running. Unfortunately, her gasping sobs drew attention to her and the stall door, which she had failed to lock in her haste, was pushed open. Rachel glanced over her shoulder to find Brittany standing there, a sympathetic look on her face. That look just hit Rachel even harder, and she buried her face in her hands as she wept violently.

She felt Brittany squat next to her and then her hand rested on Rachel's back. The blonde began to rub small comforting circles as she continued to cry, and it actually made Rachel feel better. Brittany didn't speak, she didn't offer pointless platitudes; it was almost like she knew that what Rachel needed most at that point was silence. _Because Rachel Berry never let anyone see her cry_.

After several minutes, Rachel regained her control and she and Brittany both stood up and exited the stall. Rachel grabbed several paper towels and wet them down. She began to scrub the makeup off her face, being very gentle with her right eye.

"If you trust me with your combo, I'll get your makeup out of your locker," Brittany offered.

Rachel tried to remember if she had put her bag in her locker before going into the closet (a few more tear leaked out at the thought). Deciding that she had, she rattled the combination off to Brittany, who was concentrating very hard, and then continued to wash her face as the blonde left the restroom.

She should have listened to Brittany last week. She had obviously been watching out for Rachel when she had mentioned that Finn was sleeping with someone else. She wondered if Brittany had known that it was Santana though. The way Santana had called Finn her boyfriend and the hurt Rachel had seen; those two things were haunting her. She wondered if Santana had known about Rachel or if this was all just as big a shock to her. Then, Rachel wondered why she was worrying about Santana's feelings when her own heart had just shattered.

Rachel ignored the way the other girls coming and going from the room were looking at her (a combination of pity, contempt, and righteousness-as if they'd already heard what happened and thought she deserved it) while she waited for Brittany to come back. A few minutes later, Brittany walked through the door carrying not just her makeup case but a whole fresh set of clothes. Rachel cast a questioning glance at the fabric; she hadn't got slushied-her clothing was fine.

"Oh, I decided you need a fresh start to today, so new outfit," she answered the silent question perkily holding the clothing out.

She had obviously decided that normalcy was the best way to help Rachel, and Rachel really appreciated that. She took the white button up blouse, pale blue skirt, and matching pale blue knee socks from the Cheerio and changed in one of the stalls. When she came out, she dropped her other clothes on the counter between two of the sinks and opened her makeup bag.

"Your eye looks awful. Is it really sore?" Brittany asked, examining Rachel in the mirror as she folded her shirt. "I could get an ice pack from the nurse for it."

As Rachel applied concealer to the deep purple bruise around her right eye, she smiled at Brittany in the mirror. "That's very sweet Brittany, but it's fine. It looks a lot worse than it feels as long as no one goes poking around on the bruise."

Brittany nodded, setting the shirt back down and quickly folding the skirt and knee socks before washing her hands (Rachel would wash her hands too if she'd just folded clothing someone had worn, even if it was only for half an hour). She thanked Brittany for her help as she reapplied her makeup. Brittany hopped up on the counter and chattered on about her homework while Rachel finished up. When she was done with her makeup, her black eye was barely even visible.

"You did a really good job covering the bruise up," Brittany commented, studying her face.

Rachel nodded. "I have a special concealer that's made for covering up bruises."

When she saw Brittany's concerned expression, she realized how that must sound so she added, "I bought it the first time Finn hit me during practice just in case. Bruises are not attractive."

Brittany nodded vigorously. "I know. Cheerios get a lot of bruises," she explained as she hopped down off the counter.

Rachel considered that. She imagined it was true due to the highly physical nature of their routines. She was caught off guard in her musings when Brittany tugged her into a tight hug. She didn't say a word, but Rachel thought the sheer strength of the embrace said it all.

ooooo

Puck's day had not started anywhere close to what he had expected. He had expected to come to school, annoy Berry a little, get rejected, annoy her some more, fuck Allison Tandy in the girls' restroom (_what? She'd offered_), annoy Berry during trig (_who knew math could be so fun?_), then go home and watch his sister like he'd promised he would. Instead, he'd met Brittany, Mike, and Quinn in the parking lot (a definite improvement over Kurt and Mercedes who kept ambushing him to grill him about his Berry mission) and walked into school with them. He should have known the day would be fuckin' weird then because they never all showed up at the same time.

He and Quinn were getting along much better now than ever. After dating for a while, having a baby, and dealing with the adoption together, it probably shouldn't be surprising that they had settled into a comfortable friendship (or maybe it should-he didn't fucking know). He was fuckin' glad for it; she was a total bitch to the people she didn't like.

They had just entered the school and were heading toward their lockers when Berry had come running out of a janitor's closet. All four of them had stopped and watched Finn, yelling Berry's name, trip out of the same closet with his pants and boxers around his knees (Mike had clapped a hand over Brittany's eyes causing her to complain about wanting to see too). Puck would have laughed at the sight if he hadn't figured out what had happened when Santana had come out of the closet after Finn looking like she'd just been fucked (and Puck knew that look). Her face had been twisted in anger and she had kicked the prone douche hard in the ribs before storming into the nearby gym. Brittany, who had pried Mike's hand off her face, exchanged a look with Quinn before they split up. While Quinn went after Santana, Brittany took off after Berry.

Puck had stood frozen in disbelief, watching Finn struggle to his feet and pull his pants up while the students that had already arrived laughed. Puck knew he should probably do something to help Berry (this could be his in with her), but he was too fuckin' shocked to know what he should do. Plus, he knew Brittany would take care of her.

Mike was clearly not having the same problem. He walked right up to Finn and said, "Dude, you were screwing Santana behind Rachel's back? Not cool." Then he punched him in the jaw. Finn let out a howl of pain.

Hell, Puck couldn't let Mike have all the fuckin' fun. He moved to stand directly in front of Finn and slammed his fist into the taller boy's nose. Finn let out another (girlish) scream of pain and clapped his hands over his nose as it spurted blood. Puck and Mike both turned around and moved back down the hallway. During the whole thing, Puck hadn't said one word.

When they spotted Berry's locker, with the word 'SLUT' written on it, they came to a stop. _What the fuck?_ Who would write on Berry's locker like that? Even _he_ hadn't done that when he was torturing her. Next to him Mike sighed.

"Well, that's why she was in the closet then."

As Mike headed back to the closet (Finn had disappeared), Puck caught up with him.

"What in the hell are you doing?" he asked.

Mike entered the closet and explained, "A couple of weeks ago Brittany and I were running late after glee," he smirked over his shoulder at Puck (_way to go Mike!_) and then continued, "when we passed by Rachel's locker and saw that someone had painted 'whore' on it in big red letters. Brittany got really upset when she saw it and got into this janitor closet. Turns out," he said, coming out of the closet with two cans of paint and two fresh brushes, "Figgins keeps paint for both the lockers and the bathrooms stocked up."

Puck was fuckin' confused.

As they walked back to Rachel's locker, Mike kept explaining, "Brittany and I have been painting over the graffiti about Rachel in all of the bathrooms-I didn't realize how much porn gets drawn about her-and on her locker after every glee practice. It doesn't last very long; we just repainted Rachel's locker last night and it's already marked up again, but it makes Brittany feel better to do something. Did you know Rachel comes in early every morning to clean off the graffiti? I figured it out after the second night we painted because we'd never seen the writing before that first day but since it reappeared so quickly, it had to be a common occurrence. Plus Brittany spied on her one morning to make sure. Anyway, that first night we saw the writing was the first time we both realized just how bad things are for her around here. That's also when Brittany took on her mission to watch out for Rachel."

Mike set the brushes and one can on top of the locker bank and then fought to open the second can of beige paint, Puck absorbed all of this. He couldn't believe it; while he was fucking random girls, Mike and Brittany were spending extra time at school painting over the Berry porn in the bathrooms and the insults on her locker? He hadn't realized how fuckin' awful everyone was to her. How the hell did she smile the way she always did?

As Mike finally popped the lid off the paint can, Puck grabbed it from him and took one of the brushes. Mike took the other can and brush and headed for the mens' room. Before Puck could start painting, Brittany came up to him.

"I need into Rachel's locker to get her stuff."

Puck moved back and watched as Brittany put in the combination (it took her three tries to get it right). She took several minutes to dig through Berry's bag, finally pulling out some clothing and a smaller bag.

She stuffed Berry's bag back in the locker and shut it then turned to Puck.

"Thank you for fixing this," she said gratefully, gesturing at the locker. "She shouldn't have to see it, especially not right now."

"Whatever. I'm just doin' my fuckin' job," Puck declared, avoiding her eyes as he started painting.

After Brittany had taken off, he finished painting Berry's locker door and closed up the paint can. Mike joined him as he passed the bathroom and they dropped the supplies off in the closet.

So yeah, his day had started out fuckin' weird.

ooooo

"No, Rachel, you're not going to run away. The two of you really need to talk," Brittany declared, clasping tightly to Rachel's wrist.

Rachel so didn't want to listen to Brittany, but she wasn't giving her much choice. Rachel's day had been awful so far; the bright spots had been the fact that someone had painted over her locker for her (she didn't know who and when she'd asked Brittany if she'd seen who it was while getting her stuff, she'd merely grinned at her) and the fact that Brittany, Mike, and, surprisingly, Quinn had all been really nice to her when they'd seen her in the halls. She'd also kind of enjoyed seeing Finn in the hallway with a swollen jaw and bruised nose; she suspected that had been Puck (though she hadn't seen him yet-it just seemed like the sort of thing he'd do and he had been there that morning) and possibly Mike, who just smiled and changed the subject when she asked.

Brittany had met her at the door after her fourth period class, grabbed her wrist, and hauled her off to the cafeteria for lunch. Brittany didn't stop at Rachel's locker so she could get her lunch; she insisted that she would buy it for her. Since Brittany was still dragging her along, she didn't have much choice but to go with it.

So, now Brittany was holding her in place next to the circular table that already held Quinn, Mike, Matt, and Santana. It was the last one that Rachel was trying to get away from. For all her acting skill, she didn't know if she could be civil to the girl Finn was sleeping with. When she glared down at Santana, she noticed that she looked as miserable as Rachel felt. So, she let Brittany push her into the seat across from the Latina before she took the one next to Rachel. She'd already lost Finn; what did she have to lose by listening to whatever Santana had to say?

"If you have something to say, then say it. And let's leave the insults out for once," Rachel directed her (she would let Santana have her say but she didn't have to be nice about it).

"I'm sorry," she said quietly.

Rachel was not expecting an apology. "What?"

Santana scowled at her. "I'm not repeating it." Her expression turned sad again. "I didn't know Finn was dating you. Hell, I thought he was dating me. Then, last Tuesday Britt mentioned that she thought you and Finn were together so I asked him about it when he came over the next night."

Rachel's heart broke a little more as she remembered Finn telling her he was meeting the guys after he told her he loved her for the first time. Apparently he'd actually run off to Santana. _After he said he loved her!_

"He told me that the two of you hung out but you weren't a couple, just really good friends. I believed him," she admitted then sneered. "Obviously I shouldn't have; he's a lying, cheating bastard." Santana sighed. "Look, I know I'm a bitch, especially to you, but I didn't mean to help Finn cheat on you and I thought, well actually Brittany and Quinn thought, you should know that."

Rachel considered what the other girl had just said. She noticed that Quinn and Brittany were the only ones who didn't look surprised by Santana's story.

"Did you guys know about this?"

The boys both shook their heads, but Mike added, "Brittany mentioned that she thought you two were together and that Finn was sleeping around, but we didn't know anything for sure."

Rachel nodded and turned to Quinn and Brittany. "What about you? You're Santana's best friends."

Also shaking her head, Quinn explained, "When Brittany went after you this morning, I followed Santana. She told me the story then."

Brittany continued, "And they told me during gym third period, so Quinn and I asked her to tell you at lunch."

Rachel was quiet for a while as she thought over everything she'd just found out. While she was thinking, Puck dropped into the seat between Matt and Rachel. Looking between Rachel and Santana, he elbowed Matt.

"Did I miss it?"

Matt nodded.

"Damn it," he groaned in frustration.

"You didn't miss much; they didn't even pull each other's hair or anything," Mike reassured him, earning glares from all four of the girls.

"Well that's a fuckin' waste." Puck addressed the two girls in question, "Are you sure you don't want to slap each other? Then you could pull hair and push each other down to the ground." His expression grew dreamy here. "While you're wrestling, your passion will rise until you start making out, and then..." he trailed off, his gaze distant.

Rachel and Santana shared a look of mutual understanding. As Santana sunk down in her chair to kick him in the shin, Rachel elbowed him hard in the ribs. They struck at the same time and Puck jumped in his seat as he was pulled from his daydream. Quinn and Brittany had also attacked Matt and Mike, who had both zoned out while Puck was talking. All four girls laughed at the way the boys were scowling at them and rubbing their various sore spots.

"Hey, Rach, can I talk to you in private?"

Their laughter died as Rachel looked up to find Finn standing behind Matt with a pleading expression on his face.

"No. Anything you have to say to me, you can say in front of them, especially Santana," she replied coldly. She believed Santana's story; the girl looked as heartbroken as Rachel felt so she believed Santana also deserved an explanation.

When Finn's face fell, Puck shot a proud (_what?_) smirk at her.

"Okay," Finn paused as he collected his thoughts. "I really do love you; I wasn't lying when I said that. You know how I always had a problem when we were making out and thinking of the mailman didn't always help? Do you remember what you told me to try last month?"

Rachel thought back. She could remember the incident in question; it was the first time she ever grasped him with her hand through his boxers and he had exploded the instant she made contact. He had been really embarrassed, so she had made the only suggestion she could think of to help him with his issue.

"Yeah, I told you to take care of the problem on a regular basis," she remembered. "But I meant you should masturbate! I wasn't giving you permission to have sex with someone else!"

When she said masturbate, Puck, Mike, Matt, and Quinn all turned shocked faces to her while Brittany snickered. Santana simply continued to glare up at Finn.

"Oh," he blushed and rubbed the back of his neck, a hangdog expression on his face. "I didn't think of that. But, I also thought that I could use what I learned on you later. All girls like the same things right?"

Puck snorted and the others, Rachel included, shook their heads.

"No, Finn, not all girls like the same things. While we share some of the same erogenous zones, others are different from girl to girl," Rachel enlightened him. She couldn't believe he really was this clueless.

"I didn't know that either. So what are your erogenous zones?" he asked curiously.

Rachel couldn't believe his gall. "You will _never_ know the answer to that question. Are we done here?"

"I want to know why you said you were my boyfriend if you were dating Rachel," Santana spoke up.

"After I had sex with you, the next time I made out with Rachel I didn't have a problem. You said that you wouldn't have sex with me again without a relationship because you didn't want to just be a booty call like with Puck," Finn explained. Santana flushed at being called out as something more than the reputation she had. "and no sex meant that I wouldn't be able to make out with Rachel successfully anymore. I wasn't ready to have sex with her yet-I love her-so I agreed to be your boyfriend so you'd keep sleeping with me so I could keep making out with Rachel."

Santana's face went stony at his explanation. "And the reason you insisted we keep it quiet was because you didn't want Rachel to find out, not because you wanted to have a stable relationship before we went public? And when I asked you about her last week, you lied to me."

"Yeah," Finn nodded sheepishly. "Sorry about that, but I wasn't ready to sleep with Rachel yet."

Santana continued to stare at him frostily while Rachel asked, "Why did you say you wanted to take our relationship public today if you still wanted to have sex with Santana?"

The others, even Santana, cast her a surprised look. Rachel hadn't told anyone about that yet.

Finn's expression turned earnest. "When we first started dating I wanted to keep it between just us because I didn't want anyone else messing up our relationship. Then I had to keep it secret because of Santana. But yesterday when Mr. Schue said that you would be doing that song with Puck, one that you had just told me was about longing, I knew I needed to make sure Puck knew that you were mine. I knew he'd hit on you if he didn't know and then you'd sleep with him. I was going to break up with Santana this morning, but I wanted one more practice session."

_In other words, he was aroused_, Rachel thought. She was very offended by his accusation too. He thought she had so little self-control that she'd give her virginity to Puck just because he hit on her? He had clearly never trusted her the way she had him (and look where that had got her).

"I loved you; I never would have cheated on you," she defended herself.

"You love me? Does that mean we can be together still?" he asked hopefully.

Rachel gaped at him. _Was he actually serious?_ She studied his face closely. _He was!_

"No! We're done! I can't be with someone I don't trust, and I will never trust you again," she asserted.

"But I was only doing what you told me to! If you hadn't made that suggestion, I never would have slept with Santana," he accused.

_That he would blame his cheating on her, that was just...just...she didn't even know what!_ She was so furious that her superb vocabulary had broken down. Hopping up, she circled Puck's chair and smacked Finn with as much strength as she could muster.

He reeled back and as Rachel stood there fuming, he turned to Santana. "We can still date now if you want."

Santana was around Quinn in an instant to slap him as hard as she could across the other cheek.

"You can go to hell," she said in a calm tone that belied the fury in her eyes before retaking her seat.

Rachel also sat back down. Even though she normally abhorred violence, she had to admit that she felt a little better after hitting him.

Puck leaned back in his seat, tilted his head, and smirked up at Finn. "Get the fuck out of here."

"Puck, language," Mr. Schuester's stern voice startled them all. He surveyed the table warily; he had clearly picked up on the tension and his eyes lingered on Rachel for a half a second longer than anyone else (and no wonder, she was sitting at a table with all of the jock gleeks), but he didn't say anything. "I'm scheduling an extra practice for today after school since Regionals are next Saturday, so be in the choir room at regular time." He walked off.

Finn took one look around the table and, finally realizing he wasn't welcome there by anyone, took off with a sulky expression on his face.

"I can't believe him!" Rachel burst out. "The whole situation is just so unfair." She looked across the table at Santana. "To both of us," she added.

"Sing a song about it," Puck suggested, popping half a slice of pizza into his mouth.

Rachel wrinkled her nose at the disgusting display (and noted a few spots of beige paint on his hands-_had he painted her locker door?_), but she agreed, "I think that's a very good idea."

Santana and Quinn leaned forward toward Brittany and Rachel. "What do you have in mind?" Santana asked.

While the boys argued over baseball, the girls conspired on Rachel's plan.

ooooo

At 3:30 that afternoon, Rachel was sitting in the choir room in her normal seat between Brittany and Santana. The two of them, plus Quinn, had relocated to the front row in a show of solidarity after the day's events (it was amazing how one awful revelation could pull them together). They were sitting quietly for the most part, waiting for Mr. Schuester to begin practice. Rachel was aware of the odd looks she was drawing from the rest of the gleeks as they arrived because of who she was sitting with. When Finn walked in and cast a wary look at Rachel and Santana, Rachel leaned over to the other girl.

"Look at him; he's so nervous right now because we're sitting together," Rachel whispered to her.

Santana smirked. "Serves him right; he's gonna regret playing both of us by the time practice is over."

As Santana turned to talk to Quinn on her other side, Rachel sat back in her chair. Brittany had twisted around to talk to Mike behind her.

"So you're free tonight then?" Puck whispered into her ear from behind.

Rachel turned her upper body to meet him and pulled her head back when she found herself mere inches from him. "I just broke up with Finn today; I'm not having sex with you." She felt like that had become her catchphrase.

He rolled his eyes. "Babe, I'm not having sex with you either. You can't deny that you need to fuckin' relax after the shit that went down today though."

She could feel Finn's gaze on her while she talked to Puck, and a part of her was tempted to accept his invitation to hang out in order to use it against Finn in revenge, but that wouldn't be fair to either Puck or herself. Their friendship couldn't be based on revenge, even if he was kind of growing on her (she just couldn't resist someone with so much determination or who painted over the graffiti on her locker like she was fairly sure he had). She refused to use him even if she doubted he'd care too much if she did.

When Mr. Schue entered the choir room, he dropped his bag next to the piano and faced their group.

"Now, let's start by practicing '(I've Had) the Time of My Life' and then I have our second group number for Regionals. They're just over a week away and I have faith that if we get started now, we can nail all of our numbers," he declared.

_Finally! _Rachel thought. _It was about time he picked their last number_. She stood up.

"Mr. Schuester, I have something that I would like to perform first," she announced, moving forward to face the rest of the club. "As all of you undoubtedly know by now, Finn has been dating both Santana and myself. What you may not know is that he didn't see fit to inform either of us of the other, so he really has no one to blame but himself for what has happened."

She noticed the disbelieving looks they were casting at Santana. She had known that would be a problem.

"Again, I would like to repeat that this is neither Santana's fault nor my own," she said forcefully. "I have prepared a performance that we believe expresses the perfect amount of anger."

While Mr. Schuester sighed in exasperation, Rachel turned to the band (she had given them the sheet music she printed off the internet earlier) and signaled for them to begin. As she sang, she crossed the room to Finn.

_You keep saying you've got something for me  
Something you call love, but confess  
You've been messin' where you shouldn't have been messin'  
And now someone else is gettin' all your best_

She was singing directly to Finn in a sick reversal of a serenade. Santana, Brittany, and Quinn joined her for the chorus as they had decided at lunch.

_These boots are made for walking, and that's just what they'll do  
One of these days these boots are gonna walk all over you_

She began to circle Finn's chair slowly, dragging her fingers along his shoulders and neck as he turned red.

_You keep lying when you oughta be truthin'  
And you keep losin' when you oughta not bet  
You keep samin' when you oughta be changin'  
Now what's right is right, but you ain't been right yet_

As she reached the front of his chair, the girls once again joined her for the chorus. Even Tina, Mercedes, and Kurt got into the spirit and lent their voices.

_These boots are made for walking, and that's just what they'll do  
One of these days these boots are gonna walk all over you  
_  
Rachel tossed her hair back in a defiant gesture, focusing all of her attention on Finn as she continued to sing.

_You keep playin' where you shouldn't be playin  
And you keep thinkin' that you'll never get burnt_

She shoved hard on his chest on the next word.

_Ha!_

She stepped up to the second row and sat sideways on Puck's lap, crossing her legs. Finn twisted in his seat to look at her and she kept her gaze focused on him.

_I just found me a brand new box of matches yeah  
And what he knows you ain't had time to learn_

She trailed her fingers down Puck's chest before standing back up, but never took her eyes off Finn. The girls and Kurt added their voices to the chorus as she stared down at Finn.

_These boots are made for walking, and that's just what they'll do  
One of these days these boots are gonna walk all over you_

As she spoke the next words, she threw her hand forward in the air and strutted back down to the piano.

_Are you ready boots? Start walkin'!_

When the music came to a close, the other members of the club clapped for her, and Puck let out a loud whistle. She really hoped he didn't take the whole sitting on his lap thing the wrong way. She was merely using him as a prop for her performance because she knew he'd be the guy to drive Finn the most insane. When the applause died down, she turned to Mr. Schuester with a bright smile.

"Thank you, Mr. Schuester!"

She retook her seat and Brittany, Santana, and Quinn all leaned over to congratulate her on a job well done and a point well made.

ooooo

"Pick you up at seven?"

Puck's day was still fucking weird, but he'd learned three important things. Number one, under her bitchy exterior, Santana was hiding real feelings (_who knew?_). Number two, Finn was even dumber than he'd thought (and after the whole 'baby with no sex' thing, he thought Finn couldn't get any worse, but thinking his girlfriend was giving him permission to cheat_? That's just fucking moronic_). And, number three and most important in his eyes?

Rachel Berry was fucking _hot_ when she was pissed.

He'd been proud of how she'd dealt with Finn at lunch (plus, she talked about masturbation and erogenous zones so fuckin' awesome), but the whole proud thing was just fuckin' strange; he was never proud unless it was of himself for nailing someone challenging (he wondered how proud he'd be if he ever screwed Berry; _not worth thinking about Puckerman_, he reminded himself-_Brittany would slice your balls off after_). Her little performance had been good, but then she'd sat down in his lap and _hello, instant boner_. Her running her fingers down his chest and then that fuckin' sexy hip-swaying walk after hadn't helped. When Schue gave them instructions to get into position for their sucky group number, Puck was the last to get up. He'd had to calm the fuck down or he'd draw attention to himself. One thing was for sure-Berry had just fuckin' guaranteed he'd never be able to completely ignore her hotness again.

As soon as he was able to move normally, he'd snuck up behind her and offered to pick her up again.

"Really, Noah, you know that I was just using you as a prop for the performance, right? I still have zero intentions of going out with you," she reminded him in anannoyed tone.

He did know that, but he quirked an eyebrow at her anyway. "You shouldn't have sat in my lap then. It makes you look like a fuckin' tease babe."

When she blushed and mouthed silently, he nearly laughed; he didn't know if he'd ever seen Berry at a complete loss for words before (not counting when Finn pissed her off at lunch). "Don't hurt yourself Berry." He got into his position, grinning when he heard her huff.

When Schue started the music, Puck fell into his robotic mode and moved through the choreography of Finn's first verse. He never actually listened to the singing, but he noticed when Berry didn't come in on her cue and Schue stopped the music. Puck looked over at her and was surprised to see that she was standing still, staring straight ahead at Finn.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Schuester. I just can't do this; I can't be in glee anymore," she said tearfully before grabbing her bag and running from the room.

"Rachel, wait!" Brittany called, grabbing her own backpack and following her.

Schue shook his head. "We'll just end it here for today. Meet back here tomorrow at regular time. I'll rework the numbers to take Rachel out tonight. Please think of ballad suggestions and someone to stand in for our twelfth member."

"No. Mr. Schue, you can't take Rachel's ballad away," Santana protested.

"Yeah, we'll get her back into the club. Just give us a chance to talk to her," Quinn agreed. "But, umm, you may want to make sure she doesn't have to sing opposite Finn on the other two numbers."

Puck watched as Schue examined the two Cheerios (and he was fuckin' shocked they were standing up for Berry even after lunch).

"Fine. I'll give you until practice tomorrow, but if she's not back by then, I'll have to rearrange the numbers. We're too close to Regionals to give you any longer," he finally decided.

Santana and Quinn shared a relieved look.

As soon as Schue left the room, everyone turned on Finn.

"You just couldn't keep it in your fuckin' pants."

Everyone stared at Puck, stunned that he was the first to speak.

"Really, dude, you don't tell a girl you love her and then sleep with someone else," Mike added, recovering quickly.

Matt shook his head in disapproval while Artie muttered, "Not cool."

"If we lose Regionals, I'm blaming you, white boy." Mercedes poked him in the chest.

Kurt nodded, scowling. "As much as I wish it were otherwise, we need Rachel's voice to stand a chance against Vocal Adrenaline. Their male lead is strong, but Rachel's better than their female lead."

"Jesse St. James," Tina sighed dreamily, earning a glare from Artie. She returned it before adding her input. "Finn, lying like that is one of the best ways to ruin a relationship."

She was still glaring at Artie, so Puck wondered if he'd lied to her about the whole not-a-virgin thing. If he had, _fuckin' stupid move dude._

Quinn rolled her eyes. "I think we can all agree that Finn was brainless in what he did."

"He was a lying, cheating bastand," Santana declared venomously. "And he has a big problem with premature ejaculation."

With that, she grabbed her bag and marched out of the room. Quinn quickly followed.

Finn was bright red and he practically ran out of the room after Santana's announcement. The others followed until only Puck, Kurt, and Mercedes were left. Puck was trying to get out the door before either of them caught him, but Kurt's voice stopped him (_damn_).

"You need to fix this. We need Rachel relaxed and even if the Cheerios talk her into coming back, she's going to be ten times worse than she was," he stated decisively. "So we're giving you until Monday to fix it or we will get one of the hockey guys to do it for you. And she's vulnerable right now, so it won't be hard for whoever we choose."

Puck noticed the hesitant look Mercedes cast at the other boy with those words, but she still nodded in agreement.

As Puck left the room thinking about Kurt's words, he had just one thought.

_Fuck_.

A/N 2: The song Rachel performed was 'These Boots Are Made for Walking' by Nancy Sinatra (not the Jessica Simpson version).


	5. Chapter 5

Spoilers: Only up to 'Sectionals' though stuff from the back 9 may pop in if I think it fits with my plot line.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot. Also, some of this is from Puck's viewpoint, and he's kind of an offensive guy, so I'd like to point out that his viewpoints don't always reflect mine. I don't own 'Cath...', 'All These Things That I've Done', '(I've Had) the Time of My Life', 'Bring Me to Life' or the song used later on.

A/N: Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed the first four chapters. I just can't believe this story had already had over 9000 hits and 3500 visitors. You're all just so awesome! I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as you have the previous ones. As always, please read and review. I'd love to know what you think. Thanks!

Rachel heard a knock on her window. Wiping the tears from her cheeks, she looked over to find Brittany standing beside her car. Reaching over, she rolled the window down.

"I'm not going back to glee Brittany," she said around a sob.

"I know. What are you doing right now?" the blonde asked, a compassionate look on her face.

Rachel winced as she rubbed the tears from her right eye; she had forgotten about the bruising. "I was just going to go home. Why?"

Brittany didn't answer; instead she rounded the car and hopped into the passenger seat, tossing her backpack into the back. As she buckled her seat belt, she looked over at Rachel expectantly. Rachel just stared back at her. _What did she want?_

"Are we going somewhere?" she asked the blonde.

"Oh!" Brittany bounced in her seat. "You're driving aren't you? So, you need to know where to go. Take us through the McDonald's drive-thru."

Rachel was very curious about Brittany's instructions, but she started up the car anyway and pulled onto the road. While she drove, Brittany reached over and turned the radio on. It was on the indie rock station that Rachel preferred.

As 'Cath...' by Death Cab for Cutie started playing, Brittany grinned and said, "I love this song. It's just so mellow."

Rachel nodded, "It's pretty good, but it's also kind of sad. Giving up a chance for true love just to settle."

"You would have been stuck in the same situation if you hadn't found out the truth about Finn. But, now you can move on to someone who's actually worthy of you," Brittany explained sagely.

Even though Rachel could feel the tears prickling behind her eyelids at the thought of Finn's betrayal, she had to admit that Brittany had a point. It may hurt now, but she knew she'd get better eventually. She was strong that way.

When she pulled up to the menu board of McDonald's, Rachel asked, "Did you want to order something Brittany?"

She bobbed her head vigorously. "We're both going to order. The rule is that you pick out the one item you want most from the menu and don't worry about calories," she directed and then added knowingly, "and don't worry about if it's dairy either."

Rachel was uncertain about that. "What's the point of this exercise?"

"Just do it," Brittany commanded. "I want a cherry pie and a medium diet and I'm paying, so don't try to split the orders up."

When they were asked for their order, Rachel placed Brittany's and then requested a medium fry and a medium sprite. When she reached the first window, Brittany handed her the cash and they picked up their order at the second window. As they pulled away, Brittany gave her another set of directions.

"Take us to Farout Park. We're going for a walk around the lake."

Once they arrived at the park, Rachel found a parking spot and they hopped out with their food. Brittany led her to the lake and they started to walk a path around it. They walked silently for a while, Rachel snacking on her fries while Brittany ate her pie, before Brittany spoke.

"This is what my mom always does for me when someone hurts my feelings or breaks my heart. She always takes me to McDonald's to order a treat and something to drink. Then she brings me here and we walk around the lake. She says it's my chance to clear my head and talk about what's bugging me without worrying about what anyone else thinks. Since you have two dads, I knew you wouldn't get to do anything like this since men, even gay ones, can never fully understand a woman's feelings. So, I brought you!" she finished perkily.

Rachel was touched. Brittany was taking care of her the same way her own mother did for her when she was upset? It was very sweet. Rachel sipped her soda trying to decide where she wanted to begin (though she was afraid she'd cry if she started talking, but she wouldn't hurt Brittany's feelings by rejecting what she was offering). Finally, she started.

"I just feel like I've wasted so much time on Finn. I've loved him since the first time I heard him sing in glee club at the beginning of the year. I was sure we were meant to be together even though he was with Quinn; we just made so much sense you know-the two leads of the glee club falling in love. Everyone would be able to see genuine emotion every time we sang a love song together. It would be perfect." Rachel paused to gather her thoughts and she was happy when Brittany stayed silent (now that she had started, everything she'd kept inside for so long was pouring out and she knew she'd get self-conscious if Brittany interrupted her). "He and Quinn eventually ended of course, and I thought he'd come straight to me. It didn't take him long either, just over a month. But instead of having a relationship out in the open, he would kiss me in private and tell me not to tell. He wanted me at his games, but he didn't want anyone to know I was there for him. It hurt so badly when we were in public; I always wondered why he was ashamed of me." Tears began to roll down her cheeks. "And then last week, he told me he loved me and yesterday he said that he wanted to go public with our relationship. I didn't expect to find him having sex with Santana in the janitor's closet."

She took a deep breath to steady her emotions and swiped the tears away, wincing again when she made contact with her right eye before continuing, "I know it was partially my fault for putting so much faith in him; it was pretty stupid to think that a boy who didn't even want to be seen in public with me was some sort of Prince Charming. I'm furious with him for letting me spend so much time on him. If he didn't truly care for me-enough not to sleep with someone else-then he should have just told me so I could move on to someone else. It would have been less cruel that way. Now, glee's too hard because I just can't sing a love song opposite him. I can't go back there."

She tried to sniff her tears back; she was Rachel Berry and Rachel Berry did not cry (not in front of others at least).

"It's okay to cry, you know. I won't tell," Brittany promised her.

It was as if the permission was all Rachel needed and the floodgates opened. As she broke down, Brittany pulled her into a hug. While Rachel cried Brittany silently stroked a hand down the back of her head and let her, despite the fact that she was soaking the Cheerio's uniform. When Rachel's tears finally slowed down fifteen minutes later, she pulled out of Brittany's arms and they continued their silent walk around the lake. Rachel glanced over and saw that her companion was deep in thought.

Finally Rachel said, "You can give me your opinion, you know."

Brittany was silent for several moments before she nodded. "Okay. I think it's okay that you're mad at Finn but still sad about breaking up with him even though he did what he did. I also really do think that you're much better off without him and that you'll find someone better, someone who's worthy of you. I also think it's pretty awesome that you understand that Santana's just as much a victim as you are and you're being nice to her." Brittany hesitated as if uncertain whether or not to continue, but she did anyway. "I also think that you should come back to glee. If you let Finn drive you away from something you love as much as we all know you love glee, then you're letting him win."

Rachel sighed. "Thank you for the encouragement Brittany, but I don't think I can. It's not about winning and losing; it's about how I feel."

She could tell Brittany wanted to disagree with her, but instead she changed the subject. "So, what was up with you sitting on Puck's lap during that song today? I don't remember that being part of the plan."

Rachel blushed. "It wasn't, but it just felt right at the time. Those two lines were about finding a new guy and since Finn was so sure I would sleep with Puck the instant he hit on me, he seemed like the best choice."

"Would you sleep with Puck if he wanted to?" the blonde asked, grinning over at her. When Rachel glared at her, she rushed to add, "I mean now that you're single again. I know you wouldn't have while you were dating Finn."

"No, I wouldn't," Rachel agreed, shaking her head. "And I wouldn't sleep with Noah now either. For one, there's no way to tell where he's been or what he has if he hasn't protected himself properly or gotten tested frequently. For another, I'm still a virgin, as I'm sure everyone knows, and while I still fully believe that girls want sex just as much as guys, I do want to wait for someone I have real feelings for. And that's just not Noah. I do think we could possibly be friends if he would be okay with that and nothing more. I don't know that he would though."

Brittany tilted her head to the side and studied Rachel. "You should give him a chance to be just friends. Even if he keeps hitting on you, that's just how he is. He's hit on me lots, and I don't want Puck at all. I'm happy with Mike and Puck knows that but it doesn't stop him making the comments because that's what he does."

"Maybe you're right and I should just accept the next time he asks me to hang out with him. He's been asking every day since last Tuesday you know," Rachel admitted.

They had reached Rachel's car and as Brittany climbed in, she smiled brightly. "Just don't sleep with him if you do."

Rachel rolled her eyes and let out an inelegant snort. "No worries there."

ooooo

When Rachel arrived at school the next day, she was feeling a bit better. She was also surprised to find Santana at her locker, painting the door.

"You're painting my locker door?" Rachel asked in confusion. _How did she find out about the paint supplies?_

Santana looked over her shoulder and asked, "That's what it looks like, right?"

Rachel shook her head; Santana was apparently just naturally sarcastic. "Well, yeah, I just didn't expect it. I always come in early to take care of it."

"Brittany told us," Santana responded putting the final touch on the door with a flourish and dropping the brush on top of the bank of lockers. "She and Quinn are getting the girls' restrooms; Mike, Matt, and Puck are covering the boys'."

Rachel felt like she might cry. All six of them had come in early to help her? "You're covering up the horrible porn too?"

"Yeah, and don't you dare cry," Santana scolded her, snapping the lid on the paint can. "It's no big deal Rachel."

Rachel nodded, took a deep breath, and cleared her throat. "How did Brittany know?"

While Rachel put her things in her locker (careful to avoid the fresh paint), Santana told her a long story about how Brittany and Mike had found the graffiti and started painting over it after every glee practice.

"So she decided to watch out for you after that," she finished.

"It was nice when she finally let us in on that story last night," Quinn added. She had joined them during Santana's story after putting both her and Santana's painting supplies away. "I didn't understand why she was suddenly so worried about you. She wanted us to be nicer to you though, so I was. It's not like you've been completely horrible to me or anything."

Rachel was thinking about this new information. She couldn't believe that Mike and Brittany had been staying late to paint for two weeks. She owed them all so much, but she really owed Brittany for everything she'd done, half of which she hadn't even known about until today.

"You need to come back to glee," Santana stated abruptly, breaking through Rachel's thoughts.

Quinn nodded. "We can't do Regionals without you; you're too good."

"I can't guys," she declined with a sigh. "I can't go back there and sing opposite Finn."

"I told Mr. Schue to change things so that you wouldn't have to sing with him," Quinn confessed. "So, you should be safe to come back."

Santana added, "I'm still there and he also cheated on me." She grinned, "Plus if you come back, you'll probably meet Jesse St. James at Regionals. I've heard he has a thing for talented singers."

Rachel laughed at that but then admitted, "You're stronger than I am Santana. I just can't."

With that, she walked away leaving them to stare after her.

ooooo

"Come on Berry."

Puck grabbed Berry's wrist and started dragging her down the hall, ignoring her protests. It was lunch time, and he was working to fulfill his fucking mission. No way was he letting Kurt and Mercedes sic some dumbass hockey player on her while she was vulnerable. Santana had found him before third period and told him that she, Quinn, and Brittany had all failed to talk Berry into coming back to glee. They had all decided to nominate him to try and get her back. _'After all, wasn't that part of what he'd agreed to when he'd agreed to relax her?_' she'd asked. So Puck hadn't had any fucking choice but to figure out how to get Berry to return to glee club. He had come up with a good plan though.

"Noah, let go. I'm hungry and it's lunch time; if I don't eat now, I won't get the chance again until after school," she whined as he pulled her into the auditorium.

"It won't take long and then I'll take you to get something to fuckin' eat myself," he said, hoping to shut her up.

He led her up the stairs onto the stage and stopped next to the piano that was always in the auditorium. He opened his backpack and pulled out her I-Pod and docking station. As he hooked it up on top of the piano, she let out an outraged shriek.

"That's mine! I left it in my locker. How did you get it?"

He smirked at her. "Babe, it took Brittany three tries to get your combo right yesterday and she said it out loud every time. Not hard to memorize it or break in today."

He moved back to her only to find her grinning playfully at him (_what the hell?_).

"So you did paint my locker door yesterday," she accused him happily.

"Whatever, Berry." _Damn, he'd given himself away!_ "Santana has decided it's my responsibility to get you back into glee. And she's fuckin' scary, so here we are. You're going to sing a song and work through whatever girly-ass emotions you have about yesterday since the anger clearly wasn't the only one."

She looked unsure of herself. "I don't know if that'll work for feelings this strong."

"I so don't need to hear about your feelings Berry. Just pick a fuckin' song and sing it," he commanded her, hoping she'd listen to him again.

He dropped onto the piano bench backwards so he could see her and watched as she moved to her I-Pod. It took her a few moments, but she apparently found something she liked because she stepped away from the I-Pod and back to the center of the stage (he had an excellent view of her ass in that short skirt). When a slower guitar started, he knew he was in for a sad song. After a decent length opening where pianos and strings joined the guitar, Berry started to sing softly, keeping the beat on her thigh.

_Say you're sorry, that face of an angel  
Comes out just when you need it to  
As I paced back and forth all this time  
Cause I honestly believed in you_

Holding on, the days drag on  
Stupid girl, I should have known  
I should have known

Puck was struck by the sadness in her voice. Finn (_fuckin' bastard_) really had hurt her.

_I'm not a princess, this ain't a fairy tale  
I'm not the one you'll sweep off her feet  
Lead her up the stairwell_

This ain't Hollywood, this is a small town  
I was a dreamer before you went and let me down  
Now it's too late for you and your white horse, to come around

Berry sang the chorus very calmly, the shaking of her head (_had she always had those gold strands?_ he wondered as the lights caught her hair before realizing that was a pansy-ass thing to notice) in agreement with the lines the only indication of how strongly she felt the words. Then she turned to face him and he got a look at the misery on her face as she started into the second verse.

_Baby I was naive, got lost in your eyes  
And never really had a chance  
I had so many dreams about you and me  
Happy endings, now I know_

She met his eyes and there was so much pain in hers that he nearly looked away.

_I'm not a princess, this ain't a fairy tale  
I'm not the one you'll sweep off her feet  
Lead her up the stairwell_

This ain't Hollywood, this is a small town  
I was a dreamer before you went and let me down  
Now it's too late for you and your white horse, to come around  
  
When her voice grew in strength with the end of the song and a fire appeared in her eyes, he thought that maybe Berry would make it past her feelings for Finn sooner than anyone expected.

_And there you are on your knees  
Begging for forgiveness, begging for me  
Just like I always wanted but I'm so sorry_

Cause I'm not your princess, this ain't a fairytale  
I'm gonna find someone someday who might actually treat me well  
This is a big world, that was a small town  
There in my rearview mirror disappearing now

And it's too late for you and your white horse  
Now it's too late for you and your white horse, to catch me now

Berry shut her eyes and kept them closed for the rest of the song.__

Oh, whoa, whoa, whoa  
Try and catch me now  
Oh, it's too late to catch me now  
  
After the music had faded out and Berry had collected her I-Pod and docking station, she smiled sadly at him and softly said, "Thank you."

He stood up and moved in front of her. "So, are you coming back to glee or what?"

She sighed and seemed to focus on something beyond him. "I'd really like to; I love to sing, but I don't know if I can handle Finn."

_Damn Finn (fuckin' bastard). This wasn't the Berry he knew and loved to torment._ He placed one hand on her shoulder and used the other to cup her chin and tilt her head so she was looking him in the eye.

"Damn it Berry, you can't let that bastard do this to you. If you let him chase you out of glee, as obsessed as you are with it, it will mean that you let him fucking break you. You are a hell of a lot stronger than that. Don't let that asshole win," he encouraged her gruffly (_it felt damn strange too_).

That fire rekindled in her eyes. "You're right. I am a professional. I deal with porn on the bathroom walls, slushies nearly every day, the knowledge that Jacob Ben-Israel has a pair of my panties, and insults on my locker. I can deal with Finn for a few more practices and then Regionals."

"About damn time Berry," he smirked at her. Then he threw an arm around her shoulders. "Let's go get that lunch I promised you."

They were nearly out of the auditorium (their first stop was her locker to drop the music equipment off-she had told him to stay out of her locker-_like he'd fuckin' listen_) when he finally absorbed one of the things she'd listed.

"Berry, did you just say that fucking Jewfro has a pair of your fucking panties?" he questioned with a smirk.

She shrugged his arm off and walked ahead without answering (_that was a yes_).

ooooo

"I've made a few changes to our set list. Tina, you will now take the lead on '(I've Had) the Time of My Life' with Finn. Rachel, you'll cover Tina's previous part on the song. Puck and Rachel will still handle the ballad with 'Bring Me to Life'. I heard all of your complaints about how the group number is older than you are, so for the second song I've chosen something more modern. You'll be performing The Killers' 'All These Things That I've Done' with Puck and Rachel on lead," Mr. Schuester explained their new set list to them.

Rachel nearly cheered in excitement. It was worth returning to glee just for that. The Killers were her favorite band (though they had nothing on Barbra or Celine of course). She ignored Puck's groan behind her at being placed on lead again; she'd much rather work with him than with Finn. She also ignored the glares Kurt and Mercedes shot at her for once again snagging a lead.

"I've had a couple of requests for Rachel and Puck to perform their ballad for the group," Mr. Schuester stated (Rachel looked around, curious who would have requested that and saw the three Cheerios on either side of her grinning back at her; she also noticed Mike and Matt smirking at Puck in the back row). "So, I'd like you guys to give them a show if you have your music."

Rachel dug out her I-Pod and docking station and hopped up. She was done hooking them up and already waiting impatiently by the time Puck finally reached her. The look he shot her said he did not want to do this. She just smiled brightly back at him causing his scowl to grow.

She reached over and started the music. It didn't take long for her to become absorbed in the song. And from the moment she opened her mouth, Noah didn't take his eyes off her. It was somewhat disconcerting to be the complete focus of that intense hazel gaze. _Had he always watched her like that when they sang this song?_

When the music ended, she felt caught in his expression. He looked stunned; it was a very odd look on him. The applause from the group broke her focus on him and she turned to face them. Flashing them all (except for Finn of course) a huge smile, she curtsied and then smoothed her skirt when she straightened back up.

"Wow, guys, that's the second time I've seen that performance and I'm still floored," Mr. Schuester praised them (Rachel beamed even wider). "I think minimal choreography is definitely the way to go so that the emotions really shine through. The way you focus so completely on each other is perfect. Continue to practice the song in private and you'll kill it at Regionals." He clapped his hands together. "Now, let's practice '(I've Had) the Time of My Life'. Tina, Finn front and center."

When Rachel passed Tina on her way to her new position in the choreography, she noticed the anxious look on the other girl's face. She couldn't blame her for being nervous; dancing opposite Finn on this number was particularly painful.

As they began into the choreography, Rachel picked up on her new steps from the people around her; she was happy to learn it was basically the same as when she was on lead. She had been paired with Noah (she hadn't realized Tina was working with him) and again she was surprised at how smoothly they danced together (he didn't have any trouble spinning the right way, so that was nice). Unfortunately, he had a far off look on his face, as if he wasn't even in the room. When the song ended, she snapped her fingers in front of his face. He jumped slightly (if she hadn't been looking for it, she never would have noticed) and focused on her.

"Berry? Where did you come from?" he asked, confused.

She stomped her foot. "You just danced that whole song with me; we're paired. How did you not know that?" She paused and he opened his mouth, but she cut him off. "It was because you're not focusing on the song; you're just going through the motions. If you keep doing that the judges will see and they will not be impressed."

Puck smirked at her. "Babe, they're not gonna notice me because they'll be so fuckin' distracted by Finn running over Tina."

That was irritating (partially because he actually had a valid point). She huffed and poked him in the chest, hissing, "If you ruin Regionals for me because you don't care enough to try, I will never forgive you." Mr. Schuester started the music again from the top. "I expect you to actually strive to do well this time."

He didn't answer, but she knew she'd gotten through to him. Mostly because he proceeded to glare at her the entire time and when he spun her out at the end of the choreography, he did it so hard that she actually rebounded back toward him before he began to pull her back in. Plus, he pulled so strongly that she ended up bouncing off his chest. She scowled up at him (_that hurt, darn it!_) and stomped on his foot. The music ended and Mr. Schuester critiqued their performance.

"Okay, that was actually pretty good; I think we're finally getting it guys. Finn, Tina, you two really improved that time. Kurt, Mercedes you need to throw more passion into the dance. Remember, this is all about how you've had the best time ever and it was all because of the person you're with. Rachel, Puck a little less passion I think. You're trying to convince the audience you care deeply about each other. That won't work if you're trying to kill each other on stage." He started to round the group and make more specific corrections on each pair's movements.

Rachel blushed at the admonishment and Puck smirked down at her. "We have too much passion huh? Do you want to know the best way to get over someone?"

She looked up at him; that question was out of the blue. She was sure she would regret it, but she asked anyway. "And what is that?"

"To get under someone else. So, want to go out?" He was smirking even more widely now and he had raised one of his eyebrows at her.

She broke eye contact as she felt the heat of her blush all the way to her chest. _She couldn't believe what he was suggesting!_ (Okay, so she could; he was Puck after all.) "I am so not having sex with you Noah, so stop asking. Begging is not attractive."

"Babe, I'm a stud no matter what I do. Have you seen my guns?"

He flexed his arms for her and she laughed. She couldn't help it; the insulted look on his face was just priceless.

"That's more like it. Your movements together are flawless. If you can get the emotions of the piece right, your performance will be perfect. Take some of this-the good humor," Mr. Schuester said, gesturing at Rachel, who was still snickering, "into the song and you should be fine. And, smile Puck. You're supposed to be enjoying yourself; that's the theme of the whole song."

When he went back to the front and started the music again, Rachel and Puck retook their starting positions. Rachel was much happier with Noah's performance this time. He focused on her just like he was supposed to and he didn't act angry. In fact, he smirked down at her the whole time (it wasn't really a smile, but she knew it was as close to one as they'd get from him) and on that final spin, he sent her out crisply, but not harshly, and pulled her back so that she landed softly against his chest just like she was supposed to. She smiled up at him in approval as he held her there for the three beats until the music ended and then she pulled away.

"Excellent guys! This number is finally coming together. I'd like to try one more time today before we move on to the new song. I want to make a small change to the positioning of our backing couples though. Rachel and Puck trade places with Matt and Santana," he ordered.

Rachel was thrilled. She and Puck had been in the back row with Kurt and Mercedes and Brittany and Mike, so it was very exciting to get moved to the front row with Finn and Tina and Artie and Quinn. While Rachel bounced forward to her new position (Santana shook her head and muttered 'You're acting like Britt.' on her way past), Puck followed more slowly.

"Why do we have to be in the front row Schue?" he groaned.

Rachel turned her glare on him. _If he ruined this for her..._

"Because the two of you have the choreography down. You're our strongest couple, so we need to put you up front where the judges can really see you. So stop frowning; you did it to yourself," their director informed him.

Rachel beamed up at Puck when she looked at Finn and noticed that he was scowling over at the two of them. Puck followed her gaze to Finn and his frown turned into a smirk that bordered dangerously on grinning.

Leaning down, he whispered into her ear, "We get to torture Finn, babe. This is gonna to be fuckin' good."

She let out another peal of laughter. _That was a fun prospect._

ooooo

As Berry laughed for the second time that practice, Puck was feeling pretty fuckin' proud of himself. He'd thought she was going to cry in the auditorium earlier (and he was _fuckin' glad_ she didn't because he was shit with crying girls) and she hadn't wanted to come back to glee. But he had talked her into it and actually helped her have fun (_he knew he was a fuckin' stud and now no one could deny it_). Okay, so he'd let his temper get the best of him earlier, but she'd gone fuckin' psycho on his ass about how he wasn't paying attention and all that shit (Moses help him, he had actually listened to her bitching).

The next time they tried it, he'd been shocked at how well they moved together (they definitely had rhythm; he wondered where else they'd have rhythm before reminding himself-_bad thoughts-Brittany would kill you if she knew what you were thinking, Puckerman_). He'd been pissed when Schue moved them to the front row, and the director only made it worse when he told him it was his own fault. Then Berry had pointed out Finn (_fuckin' bastard_) watching the two of them. He didn't look happy (hell, he looked damn jealous). _This front row thing might not be so bad_.

They ran through the song one last time. He and Berry were tearing it up and he had just caught her against his chest at the end, when Tina let out a pained cry next to them. Berry pulled away immediately and hurried over to her. He watched as she said something to Tina, gesturing to her own right eye. That made him wonder; did she have a black eye and she was fucking hiding it? Whatever she said to Tina made the other girl feel better because she smiled at Berry before the crazy midget came back to him.

"Do you have a black eye right now?" He could have shot himself at those words (_why did he fuckin' care?_).

She blushed and averted her gaze. "That's not important." She quickly changed the subject (and don't think he didn't fucking notice). "We get to practice our song next. I know you're not exactly excited about taking lead, but you're quite good-a bit unpolished perhaps-but still decent."

He rolled his eyes at her as Schue called for him and Berry to trade places with Finn and Tina for their song. That was such a Berry thing to say. "Whatever Berry. Let's just get this over with."

Schue passed out their sheet music for the new song. He was actually okay with this choice; The Killers were a decent band (he'd never fucking admit to liking a Schue song choice though). Berry was practically bouncing in place next to him (_how much fuckin' time had she spent with Brittany lately?_), so he knew she was happy with the song.

"We're just going to sing the song the first few times through. Once we get the vocals down, we'll add the choreography I've come up with," Schue announced.

_Hell, yeah!_ He may have to sing the lead on this but at least he wouldn't have to dance for a while (he was fucking dreading that).

When Berry beamed up at him as they sang together (like she was actually happy to sing with him-_what the fuck?_), he thought maybe singing lead wasn't a completely awful thing.

_Ah, hell_. _Since when did he want to be fucking friends with Berry?_

A/N 2: The song that Rachel sang is 'White Horse' by Taylor Swift.


	6. Chapter 6

Spoilers: Only up to 'Sectionals' though stuff from the back 9 may pop in if I think it fits with my plot line.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot. Also, some of this is from Puck's viewpoint, and he's kind of an offensive guy, so I'd like to point out that his viewpoints don't always reflect mine. I don't own 'Bring Me to Life'.

A/N: Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed the first five chapters. You're all just so awesome! This chapter was actually supposed to be the last half of Chapter 5, but the practice in that chapter wound up so long that I had to split the chapter up. I really had fun writing this chapter, so I hope you guys have just as much fun reading it. As always, please read and review. I'd love to know what you think. Thanks!

**I've been living a lie  
There's nothing inside**  
_Bring me to life_

When Rachel finished holding the final note, she took a deep breath. That note was just as long as the final one in 'Don't Rain on My Parade' and it strained even her superb lung capacity.

"Did you think about what I said yesterday?" Puck asked her, reaching over to turn off her I-Pod as the next song started up.

Rachel frowned as she tried to regain her breath. _What was he talking about? _

They were in the auditorium during lunch. Puck had agreed to practice their ballad today when she had tracked him down coming out of the mens' room before school. He had agreed, but she was still highly surprised when he actually showed up. He was five minutes late, but he still came and that was what was important. She didn't know what he was asking her about though. He had said a lot of things both at lunch and in the auditorium yesterday.

Puck must have realized that she was confused because he smirked and added, "You know-about getting under someone else."

Rachel blushed. She couldn't believe he would bring that up again. Taking in another deep breath and regaining her speech, she said, "I currently have no intentions to get under anyone, _including you_, just to get over Finn." Her blush deepened because she couldn't believe what she was about to say, but she said it anyway. "When I do get under someone, it will be because I want to be under him."

Puck stared at her for a moment in disbelief, but then he grinned (a real one, not a smirk-she thought that he should do that more often). "Babe, do you know how fuckin' hot it is that you talk about sex?"

Rachel rolled her eyes at him. "And do you know how very cheesy you are?"

He scowled at her in annoyance. "I'm not cheesy; I'm a fucking stud babe. You just lack whatever it is that every other girl has that makes them..."

"Stupid?" Rachel finished for him.

"No, fall all over me. You're fuckin' strange Berry," he accused.

"Thank God for that," she murmured, crossing her arms over her chest.

He frowned at her. "And what's that supposed to mean?"

"Only that if I fell for the kind of lines you spout it would mean I seriously lack good taste," she stated dryly.

"Come on babe, you know I'm totally charming you. If I wanted it, I bet I could get under your skirt in two weeks," he challenged. "The only things stopping me are the facts that you're fuckin' scary and I'm pretty sure Brittany would castrate me if I tried."

Rachel hid a grin at that; she could definitely see Brittany doing just that. "I disagree that I'm scary."

"You're scary intense Berry. You'll probably kill the first man you unleash all that pent up sexual frustration on," he predicted seriously.

"Well at least he'll die blissful," she retorted, causing him to groan. "Let's try the song again."

She flipped on the music and their conversation (if you could call it that) was left behind.

ooooo

"What took you so fucking long?"

Puck was leaning against her locker. He had cut the last five minutes of class by claiming he needed to use the restroom. He'd been waiting at her locker for that time. He wanted to make sure he caught her before she left for the day. He had waited so fuckin' long he almost left. _What the hell had she been doing since the bell rang ten minutes ago?_

Rachel looked startled to see him. "Oh, I'm sorry. Did we have plans to work on our ballad?"

"Nah," Puck waved off her question. "I just wanted to see what you're doing tomorrow night."

"Sorry Noah, but Brittany's having some people over and she invited me to join them. So, I already have plans," she explained apologetically as she put in her combo.

"That's fuckin' cool Berry. I was actually going to ask if you wanted to go to Britt's with me."

That really had been his plan too, so it was fuckin' awesome that Brittany had already invited her. He and the guys had been figuring out what they wanted to talk the girls into doing the next night. They'd come up with a few good fucking ideas.

"I'll see you tomorrow night Berry," he smirked at her as he walked off. He was finally going to take Allison Tandy up on her offer. He fuckin' needed to get laid. He'd been at half-mast ever since Berry agreed that the first man she fucked would die happy (_and he was starting to think that'd be one hell of a way to go_).

ooooo

"This is such a bad idea you guys," Rachel whispered.

Rachel was standing across the street from Finn's house with Puck, Santana, Brittany, Mike, and Tina. Quinn was in her VW bug, which all the girls had piled into for the trip, and Matt was behind the wheel of Puck's truck that the boys had brought. They were serving as the getaway drivers in case Finn or his mom looked outside.

The night had started out very normal. Rachel had shown up to find everyone but Puck and Quinn already there. According to Brittany, she had invited everyone in glee club (though she uninvited Finn after Wednesday's events), but Tina and Rachel had been the only original gleeks to show up. Kurt and Mercedes apparently already had a spa night planned at Kurt's house and Artie was out of town visiting relatives for the weekend. After Quinn and then Puck had arrived a short time later, Brittany had put in the DVD she had rented and they had watched the movie and just hung out until shortly after ten. At that point, the boys had convinced the girls that they needed to get out of the house.

Apparently the boys' idea of getting out of the house meant driving over to Finn's to fork and TP his yard. Santana and Brittany had been all for the plan; Quinn had agreed he deserved it, but insisted she wouldn't help so she was relegated to getaway driver, and Tina said she thought it sounded fun. Rachel had been the final holdout and it had taken a lot of work for Puck, Brittany, and Santana to talk her into it.

Puck handed her a box of plastic forks. "We've already given up TPing the house because you fucking vetoed it."

That was why Puck had been late; he'd been shopping for their supplies (she couldn't imagine what the cashier must have thought about his purchases). When the guys had explained the plans, she had argued with them. She didn't want to punish Finn's mom for her son's actions. So, Puck had finally relented and instructed Santana to TP Finn's car only instead. He'd refused to remove the forking from the agenda though because he said that all they'd have to do is gather them up from the yard and throw them away; it'd take some time but it wouldn't cause any major damage. As a compromise, it worked. She had been shocked that Puck was even willing to concede anything.

"I may want revenge against Finn for what he did, but his mother doesn't deserve it; I already told you that. Repeatedly," she hissed back at him as he handed Santana several packages of toilet paper. "I can't believe I'm going along with this after all the times people have attacked my house."

"Oh, come on Rach," Santana broke in with an exasperated tone. "Before Finn ever joined glee, you know that he egged you-not your house-_you_. Then he used both of us and broke our hearts; if anyone deserves to be pranked, it's him."

Rachel turned to Tina. "And you're really okay with this?"

Tina nodded. "I'm feeling a little angry right now; I think it'll help me feel better to take it out on Finn for what he did."

Rachel made a mental note to ask Tina why she was so angry later, but she didn't feel much better about what they were about to do. Her continued hesitation must have shown because Brittany grinned at her.

"This will be fun Rachel. And he does deserve it."

"Yeah, Rach, you can't chicken out on us, and we've got our getaway drivers waiting in case we need them," Mike reminded her gesturing over his shoulder at Matt and Quinn, still waiting in the cars and watching them.

Rachel glanced down at the plastic forks in her hands uncertainly. She was so tempted to do it, but she still wasn't sure.

Someone moved behind her and brushed her hair back over her shoulder before leaning down and speaking her ear.

"He lied to you and cheated on you," Puck paused, before adding, "His sucky dancing will probably cost us Regionals. He deserves to have his yard forked."

Rachel shivered at his seductive words. She thought this must be what it felt like to get enticed into decadence (_and wasn't that exactly the sort of lifestyle Noah promoted?_).

"You know you want to do it babe. All you have to do is say yes," he continued whispering, his warm breath washing over her ear.

In a daze, she said, "Yes."

Puck pulled back, chuckling. "Excellent Berry. It's about time you got the stick out of your ass."

She scowled at him, but followed the group across the road into Finn's yard. While Santana headed for Finn's car, which was parked in the driveway, the others opened their boxes of forks and started planting them, tines up, across the lawn. Puck finished quickest (he had clearly done this before), and came over to help Rachel since she had never done it before.

"I swear Berry; your ass moves slower than my grandma. You don't have to be perfect at this," he told her, pulling a handful of forks from her box. "It's a fuckin' prank, not a glee number." Bending down, he stuck one of them in the ground.

"I can't believe I let you talk me into this," Rachel complained as they continued to work together. "You're a horrible influence."

Puck rolled his eyes at her after he planted another fork in the ground. "You needed this Berry. You're so fuckin' tense all the time it's a wonder you haven't snapped and kicked someone in the balls for slushying you."

They worked silently for a couple of moments. Rachel saw Tina, finished with her forks, take up a spot near the house to keep lookout.

"Why don't you ever fuckin' stand up for yourself Berry?" Puck questioned her.

Rachel sighed and thrust another fork into the grass near the driveway. "There's no point. If I make a fuss about it, they'll come after me even worse than they already do. It's just easier to let them do what they're gonna do and clean up after. As long as they don't physically assault me, I can deal with anything they throw at me."

"So, what's up with Jacob Ben-Israel having a pair of your panties?" he asked, turning his head to smirk up at her as he stuck his last fork in the lawn.

She had just opened her mouth (she didn't know if she was going to answer or avoid the question) when Tina yelled, "Scatter!"

Rachel stood frozen for a moment as the others ran across the street. However, she didn't stay put for long because Puck grabbed her arm and dragged her out of the yard to his truck which Matt already had running. Puck scrambled in after Mike and pulled Rachel in to sit rather uncomfortably on his lap. She pulled the door shut behind her as Matt peeled away from the curb behind Quinn. Glancing back, Rachel saw Finn's porch light come on.

"This is so illegal," Rachel protested.

She was sitting in Puck's lap in the cab of his truck, which was only made to seat three people, not four. She and Puck weren't wearing a seat belt because of the cramped quarters and she always wore her seat belt. Plus, Puck's thighs were really hard under her. She started to squirm uncomfortably.

She jumped when Puck, who had kept his arms to his sides, suddenly grabbed her hips and held her still.

"Damn it Berry, stop moving," he said in a rough voice.

"But I'm uncomfortable," she whined, wiggling slightly in his lap causing him to grasp her hips harder with a hiss.

"You moving is making me grow damn uncomfortable," he moaned out.

Rachel went still as she felt something hard under her. _Was that...did he have an erection?_

"Noah! That is so inappropriate!" she shrieked out.

Next to them, Mike and Matt burst into laughter.

"Babe, I'm a dude and you've been rubbing me in just the right way. I can't help my response," he bit out.

Rachel was stunned that she could have that sort of effect on him. Granted, he'd probably respond the same way with any girl in his lap, but it was still a heady feeling. After all, she had only ever felt one erection before and that was Finn's (and from what she could feel of Noah right now, Finn wasn't exactly impressive). Feeling slightly devilish (_how often did she have Noah at her mercy?_), she circled her hips experimentally against him.

"Damn it Berry!" he yelled out as his own hips jolted upwards into her.

She caught her breath at the feel of his hardness against her. That was a very appealing sensation, or at least it would have been with someone other than Puck, who she wouldn't trust with her heart any more than she would Finn now. Puck lifted her up by her hips and moved her forward so that she was sitting closer to his knees.

Mike was clutching his stomach in laughter and Matt had a death grip on the steering well, tears streaming down his cheeks as he chuckled.

Noah placed his lips right next to her ear, much like earlier that night, and whispered, "If you ever want to rub me the right way in private, just let me know."

Rachel snorted at that suggestion, but she thought that she had just learned something. She would explore her next meaningful relationship further physically than she had with Finn-she was ready (_but it wouldn't be with Noah_).

ooooo

"What was going on with you and Rachel in the truck?" Mike asked Puck.

They were sitting around a couple of tables they had pushed together in the local diner. City curfew was in an hour so they would have to head out soon but the diner was a good choice for post vandalism shakes. It had taken some convincing on the girls' parts to get Rachel to order one (_'It's dairy and Regionals are a week from today!'_), but they had eventually managed it. Now, while he, Mike, and Matt were sitting at one end of the table, the girls were sitting at the other end.

When Mike asked his question, Puck looked down the table to where Berry was sitting on the opposite side between Brittany and Quinn, laughing at something one of the others had said. When she took a sip of her chocolate shake, she met his eyes briefly and he was able to see the sparkle in her big brown ones before she turned to listen to whatever Brittany was saying.

Puck reflected on what he had learned that night (and he was learning a lot of new fuckin' things lately).

He had thought Berry was hot when she was angry (_and she was_), but when she was being bad, she could burn him to a fuckin' pile of ash where he sat.

It had been sexy when she had answered yes to pranking Finn, and it had been hot when she was rubbing against him in the truck, even though he knew she didn't realize what she was fucking doing to him. But when she had ground down on his cock on fucking purpose; he nearly lost his shit right there and embarrassed himself worse than Finn. She had fucking known what that would do to him so the fact that she did it was fucking unbelievable (_and kind of amazing_). But then she had snorted when he offered a private go, so he knew he wouldn't get to fuck her anytime soon (or ever, based on the way Mike was glaring at him-_shit! He was waiting for an answer_).

_But if Berry kept behaving badly, she would be the fucking death of him_.

"Dude, you're drooling," Matt pointed out, shaking Puck from his thoughts.

"Shut the fuck up Matt," he scowled at him, but Matt just laughed.

"Seriously, Puck, what the hell was going on with you and Rachel earlier? It was funny as hell at the time, but I've gotta know," Mike prodded him.

Puck glared at him and shook his head. "There wasn't a damn thing going on. You try not responding to a girl grinding on your fucking dick."

Mike studied him and then said very seriously, "Just remember the promise you made to Britt. Rachel's not a one-night stand kind of girl. She deserves more than that; especially after all this Finn crap. And if you do something to hurt her, I won't stop Brittany from doing whatever she decides to you. In fact, you'll be damn lucky if I don't help her."

"Yeah, yeah I know. I'm not going to fuck her; believe it or not, Berry's not so fuckin' bad when she's relaxed like right now and I don't plan on ruining that," Puck admitted reluctantly.

Matt grinned at him.

"What the hell dude? You're creeping me out," Puck stated with a frown.

"You're right; she is relaxed right now. You actually managed to do it and before Kurt could make good on his threat," he explained quietly so the girls wouldn't hear.

Puck looked back over at Berry and watched as she threw her head back with a giggle and bumped her shoulder into Quinn who was smiling at her. He (_or maybe they_) had managed to mellow her out; in fact, he'd never seen her so fucking relaxed. Delinquency looked fuckin' good on her. He'd have to remember that.

"It looks like you don't have to keep hanging around her. Unless of course you want to," Mike hinted with a grin.

Puck pulled his eyes from Berry and shrugged. "Whatever. I should probably stay close to her at least until Regionals are over, you know, just to make sure she stays relaxed."

Mike rolled his eyes. "Uh-huh, sure. Just keep your hands off her; remember-Rachel's a virgin, so Brittany will know if you sleep with her."

"Yeah, I know. I won't have sex with her; I like my balls, thank you," Puck declared.

_That still left so many possibilities though, if he could talk her into them_.

ooooo

"The girls can stay, but you guys have to go home," Brittany announced when they arrived at her house from the diner.

Rachel had fun at the diner; she and the rest of the girls had joked around and gossiped a little about school (or, rather, the people they go to school with). Rachel wasn't a huge fan of gossip because she was aware that most of it was false, but she had to admit that there was something about being with a large group of people that made it fun. She didn't know that this was a sleepover though, so she hadn't brought any pajamas or anything.

"I didn't bring anything to stay overnight," Rachel admitted. "So I need to get going too before curfew."

Brittany shook her head vigorously. "No, you can't leave! I'm so sorry I forgot to tell you you were staying overnight. You can borrow a pair of my pajamas." She tilted her head and examined Rachel. "They may be a little big on you because I'm taller, but it should be okay. Just call your dads and tell them you're staying over."

"Okay. I don't actually have to call them though; they're on their yearly cruise. They'll be back in time for Regionals," she said. She was very glad she wouldn't miss out on the rest of the night.

Brittany gave a happy hop. "Yay!"

Puck looked over at Mike. "They're having a sleepover-five girls in nothing but their pajamas."

Mike nodded. "Maybe they'll have a pillow fight."

"And things will get passionate and they'll kiss..." Puck started weaving another fantasy.

The five girls exchanged a look before striking Puck and Mike in various places on their bodies while Matt laughed at them. His laughter, and the random cursing from the other two, set the girls off.

"I'm out guys. See you Monday," Matt said, heading for his car across the street, still chuckling.

Mike leaned over and kissed Brittany. "I'll call you tomorrow. If you guys do have a naughty pillow fight, I expect details."

All five of them either rolled their eyes or shook their heads as he headed to his car.

Puck reached over and rubbed his hand over Rachel's head, completely messing up her hair.

"Quit that Noah," she commanded, glaring up at him as she knocked his hand away.

"Whatever Berry. You ever want to take me up on my offer, my number's in your phone." He turned to include the others. "See ya."

He climbed into his truck, which was parked in the driveway, and as he backed out he winked at Rachel.

The girls all piled into Brittany's house and up to her room (and Rachel had thought her room was large), keeping quiet so as not to wake up her parents. After changing into their pajamas and rolling out sleeping bags (Brittany lent Rachel hers); they settled down on the floor.

"Okay, now onto the real gossip," Santana said. "Sex. Rachel, Tina you're both virgins. What are you waiting for?"

Both girls blushed.

"I was waiting for Artie to give some sort of indication that he was ready to move to that next level, but he never did. And then I found out that he's not a virgin after he told me he was. Now we're having this big fight over the whole thing and I'm starting to think I'll die a virgin," she explained, frowning even as she was red with embarrassment.

"You should talk to him. Maybe his first time was just a really bad experience and he wishes it hadn't happened," Quinn suggested wisely from personal experience.

Rachel agreed. "He loves you; we can all see that."

"And after you clear that whole issue up, you should make a move on him. Guys like girls who will take the lead in initiating sex," Santana continued.

Brittany nodded. "He might want it as much as you do, but feel really nervous about suggesting it because he doesn't know what you want."

Tina was thoughtful for a moment before speaking. "You guys might be right. Maybe if I talk to him, really talk to him, about it, things'll get better."

When all four turned their attention to her, Rachel cringed back.

"Rachel?" Santana prompted.

"I've never been ready," she admitted. "Plus, I want to wait for someone I care deeply for and who feels the same way about me."

They all exchanged a glance; there was really nothing more to say about that because they could all understand where she was coming from.

"Just don't sleep with Puck," Brittany reiterated her warning from Wednesday suddenly.

"Again, Brittany, I don't plan on sleeping with Noah," Rachel reminded her with a laugh. "Why would he say his number's in my phone now?" she asked the question that had been bothering her since he mentioned it.

Tina ducked her head and grinned sheepishly. "When the four of you went to the restroom at the diner, he kind of dug your phone out and added himself in. I did try to stop him but he didn't listen."

Rachel sighed. "I swear he has no sense of boundaries. He broke into my locker the other day too. Despite that, I do think we're friends now though. He was the one who finally convinced me to join glee again and he makes me laugh. I kind of like spending time with him," she confessed.

"Uh oh; that's how it starts and then before you know it you're flat on your back with your legs wrapped around his waist," Santana warned her.

"What are you talking about Santana? You and Puck were never friends, just like he and I never were," Quinn admonished. "In fact, Brittany is the only girl he's ever been real friends with."

"And we've never slept together!" Brittany finished chirpily. "So him and Rachel won't sleep together either."

"And I have made that very clear to him too," Rachel informed them. "So no worries guys."

Satisfied, Santana then launched into the rather horrifying yet humorous story of her first time, and attention was drawn away from Rachel.

She was glad for that because talking about the hypothetical possibility of her having sex with Puck with two girls who had sex with him already was a very uncomfortable experience. It was also a very good reminder of why, no matter how close their friendship grew, he was a very bad choice for anything more than that.


	7. Chapter 7

Spoilers: Only up to 'Sectionals' though stuff from the back 9 may pop in if I think it fits with my plot line.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot. Also, some of this is from Puck's viewpoint, and he's kind of an offensive guy, so I'd like to point out that his viewpoints don't always reflect mine. I don't own '(I've Had) the Time of My Life, 'Bring Me to Life', or 'All These Things That I've Done'.

A/N: Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed the story so far. You're all just so awesome! Gabi-in-wndrlnd, I've included something in this chapter just for you; you'll know it when you see it. Also, singing key, _italics is Rachel_, **bold is Puck**, _**bold italics are both Rachel and Puck**_. It will be noted where the rest of the group joins on the lyrics (there are only three _**bold italics lines**_ that are just Rachel and Puck). As always, please read and review. I'd love to know what you think and reviews are like an addiction. Thanks!

When Rachel got home late Sunday morning (they had stayed up until 3 AM and then slept until 11-it had been so much fun and she couldn't remember the last time she slept in so late), one of the first things she did was check her voicemail. The first message was from Mr. Schuester. He was calling for a glee practice after school every afternoon this week so that they would be ready for Regionals on Saturday. Rachel was quite happy to hear that; they definitely needed the extra runs through their performances.

The second message was from Daddy. He told her that he and Dad were having a lot of fun on their cruise but that they still really missed her and couldn't wait to get home again on Friday night. He also told her to do her best in her practices because they were excited to watch her perform at Regionals. When he said that he loved her at the end of the call and she heard Dad yell it in the background too, she smiled. She enjoyed her time alone, but she did miss them.

She stood silent and stunned (and blushing) while she listened to the next message.

"Hey, babe. I sent your number to my phone last night, so now I can fuckin' charm you whenever the hell I want. You are so fucking lucky Coach called for an all day practice today because of Schue's extra practices this week or I'd be at your door right now, waiting to teach you all about the male erogenous zones and finding out the answer to question Finn will never know the answer to. So, what are your erogenous zones? I bet I could fuckin' find them. Now that you're all red-and I know you are, so don't even fucking deny it-I've done what I called to do. Have a great day babe and I'll see you tomorrow."

After she shut her phone, it took a full five minutes for the color to fade from her face.

ooooo

"Smile Noah. This isn't torture and if you not smiling costs us Regionals, I will never forgive you," Berry said forcibly on Monday as they waited for Schue to begin '(I've Had) the Time of My Life' again.

Puck rolled his eyes. For a crazy ass midget, she sure wasn't any good with the creative threats.

"You've said that before," he pointed out.

She smiled innocently up at him. "Fine; if you not smiling costs us Regionals, I will remove your appendages, starting with your favorite."

He gulped; he couldn't tell if she was serious or not.

When the song started, Puck smiled (he wasn't taking any fucking chances).

ooooo

Tuesday was a very strange day for Rachel. Before school, she noticed Puck and Mercedes arguing in the hallway and she didn't think they ever spoke outside of glee, so that was somewhat unusual.

During lunch, Nate Hallings, a member of the hockey team, had approached her in the hallway and asked her out. She had turned him down of course; he had slushied her just last Tuesday so it wasn't like hanging out with Noah, who hadn't slushied her since they had dated in October. She may not have a lot of romantic prospects, but she could do a lot better than Nate. He had seemed angry when he walked away, but Noah had hauled her off to the auditorium to practice their ballad and she'd quickly forgotten about him.

Puck and Kurt were both late for glee that day. When Kurt walked in, everyone gave him a wide berth because he smelled like he had been in the dumpster. Puck looked inordinately pleased with himself when Kurt spent the rest of practice shooting dirty looks at him.

When Rachel had left the school to go home after practice, she had heard what sounded like distant yelling. Looking up, she had spotted Nate Hallings hanging from the flagpole by his underwear in one of those patriotic wedgies she had heard about. He was asking for someone to get him down. She briefly wondered if Noah's lateness and odd self-satisfaction, Kurt's dumpster dive, and Nate's flagpole ride were all related, but she quickly realized that she was probably just imagining things.

ooooo

"You are ruining this song. If you don't start taking it seriously, I will request someone else to perform with," Berry admonished him during Wednesday's glee practice after a run of their group number.

"Babe, you know that if you protest, Schue'll just stick you with fuckin' Finn," Puck reminded her. "So, you won't ditch me."

He watched as she huffed and then stomped a foot (she was kind of cute when she was irritated-_wait, did he just think she was fucking cute? Not badass_). She was clearly trying to find a way around his point, but he was pretty damn sure she wouldn't find one. When a triumphant smile spread across her lips, he actually felt a fucking chill run down his spine.

"I'll simply request that Mr. Schuester place Artie on lead; he has a very nice voice that would work quite well with this song," she said sweetly.

He smirked at her. "Just try it babe. You'd miss me if Schue took me off this song."

"I guess we'll see if you don't start putting some actual effort into your vocals," she stated, staring up at him earnestly.

He didn't do anything different during practice (so she was pissed when practice ended), but when he got home that night, he put in an hour working on his vocals for the song (_don't fucking judge him; he just didn't want Berry's crazy unleashed on some other poor bastard_).

ooooo

"Hey Berry!"

Rachel spun around at lunch on Thursday to find Puck jogging down the hall toward her.

"Hello, Noah. Do you need something?" she greeted.

"I'm taking you out for ice cream on Sunday after we get back into town. And don't fucking protest the dairy; Regionals'll be over by then," he declared, smirking down at her. Then he turned and headed to the mens' restroom.

Rachel stood there staring after him in a daze. He had just asked her out and he hadn't even given her a chance to turn him down. _But...friends go out for ice cream, right?_ she wondered. She walked into the lunchroom with a small smile on her face.

ooooo

"That's it! If you don't get this right, I will find someone who can!" Rachel yelled at him during their final practice before Regionals tomorrow.

Puck was fuckin' glad too; he was sick and tired of practicing his group number with Rachel. Her yelling had gotten worse every day, but she was acting like a fucking bitch today. When she was looking the other way to tell off Mike for dancing into her 'personal bubble' (her words, not his), he flipped her off (so it wasn't the smartest move he could have made but he needed to get his anger out somehow).

She spun around suddenly. "I saw that Noah!"

He sure as hell didn't expect her to promptly pull her leg back and kick him hard in the shin. He let out a (not badass) yelp of pain that caused her to break down into giggles.

"I'm so sorry Noah," she gasped out between snickers. "I don't know what just came over me. But you so deserved that."

Rubbing the sore spot on his leg, he shook his head and then straightened back up. "That's debatable babe. Do you have all your fuckin' crazy out now?"

Still giggling, she nodded. "I'm okay." She turned her head. "Mr. Schuester, could we try that one more time?"

Their stunned teacher nodded and turned the backing music on once again.

Berry was fucking lucky he liked her even with all the crazy.

ooooo

Rachel woke up on Saturday with a whole bunch of butterflies nesting in her stomach. She felt like she was going to throw up, and she hadn't even left the house yet. After putting in her hour on the elliptical and taking a soothing hot shower, she picked out her clothing very carefully. Yes, they had costumes for their performances, but she was of a firm mind that dressing in a confidence-building fashion would help prepare her for the day. She chose her favorite short black pleated skirt and the brand new shirt that her dads had brought back from their trip for her. It was an olive green cap sleeved scoop neck that hugged her curves nicely. It wasn't her normal style, but it made her feel pretty. She skipped the knee socks because the shirt required a more casual look and opted instead for some strappy black sandals.

She also took plenty of time on her hair and makeup. Again, she knew that she'd have to touch up both before their performance (Kurt would never allow them to go out looking less than perfect), but she also knew that she would feel better if she looked nice. There were also going to be many other show choir members present so she wanted to make sure that she matched up to them (though she would prefer to stand out, but she knew her voice would take care of that).

She packed the last of her toiletries into her overnight bag (she had packed most of her stuff last night of course), and then her fathers gave her a ride to the school.

Leaving for Regionals in Columbus had a very different feel from their ride to Sectionals; it was much more positive. Mr. Schuester was with them of course (though Miss Pillsbury was also coming-Rachel suspected that she and Mr. Schuester were dating), and Finn was also there (and unlike at Sectionals, she kind of wished he weren't, or at least she would if losing him didn't mean they couldn't compete). With Finn present, there was no Jacob Ben-Israel. She had to share a seat with him for the ride to Sectionals (she spent most of the ride listening to his filthy innuendo and slapping away his wandering hands), but this time she would get to sit with someone she actually liked (she had friends now, and that was perhaps the biggest change).

When Rachel boarded the bus, she noticed that she was the next to last one to arrive (she didn't see Puck so he must be running late). Most of the seats were already filled since Brittany was sitting with Mike and Santana and Quinn were sharing a seat. Tina had taken the seat next to Artie's chair and they were already deep in conversation (Rachel smiled at that; maybe things would work out for them). Mercedes and Kurt were of course sitting together, but Rachel noticed they weren't talking; she wondered what had happened between them because she hadn't noticed them fighting before (although, granted, she wasn't paying much attention to them this week). Finn was giving her a pleading look as if he thought she might actually sit with him. When Matt waved to her from his spot across from Mike and Brittany, Rachel smiled back and headed to him. She was passing the row in front of him when a hand shot out and yanked her into the seat in front of Mike and Brittany and across from Quinn and Santana. Rachel found herself sprawled in a very male lap.

She turned her head to look up at her captor. "Noah! Unhand me this instant." _He must have been slouching in his seat for her not to have noticed him._

He smirked down at her. "What have I told you about sitting in my lap? And laying in my lap is even worse babe."

Jerking her wrist from his hand, she righted herself. "It's hardly my fault I was laying in your lap. I certainly didn't choose to."

He lowered his voice. "Just like you didn't choose to grind on my dick a week ago?"

She blushed. She should have known that he wouldn't just forget that.

"I merely did that because I believed you needed tortured every bit as much as you torture me on a daily basis," she defended herself.

"Babe, most girls would kill to be the focus of my efforts. You're the only one who would think it's torture," he said very seriously.

They were so engrossed in their argument that neither had noticed they had left until the bus turned a corner and Rachel was thrown against Puck.

"No need to throw yourself at me babe; if you want to fuck me, all you have to do is ask," he suggested lecherously.

Rachel sighed. _It was going to be a long two hours_.

ooooo

At first, Puck was having fun on the ride to Columbus. He had been happy when he'd gotten on the bus and noticed that Berry wasn't there yet. When she'd passed him, he couldn't resist the chance to pull her into his seat (and she had ended up sprawled in his fuckin' lap just like he'd wanted). He'd half expected her to leave and sit with Matt anyway, so he was (pleasantly) surprised when she stayed with him. When she'd landed against him the first time they'd turned a corner in the right way, he'd known it would be a fuckin' good ride.

As they entered the Columbus city limits, he was sure he was in hell. He hadn't counted on the effect she'd have on him. Sitting next to her was bad enough but it got worse when, half an hour in, he realized that the short skirt she'd worn was riding up her fuckin' thighs and he could swear he saw a little red lace peeking out from underneath (and _hell no_ he wasn't about to tell her just so she could cover it up). Add to that the fact that she slid into him every time they rounded a curve or turned a corner in just the right way, and he couldn't remember the last time he'd been so hard (he was damn glad he'd worn a long shirt). Since Berry was off limits, he'd have to find someone else to take care of his problem for him when they got to their hotel (or at the very least he'd take her advice to Finn and hit the shower to jerk off as soon as he got his room). And she was fucking oblivious to what she had done to him (and apparently completely unaffected). When the strawberry scent of her hair washed over him as she moved it behind her shoulders while talking to Santana and Quinn, he adjusted uncomfortably in his seat.

"Noah, are you okay?" she questioned sincerely, turning to face him when his shifting brought their thighs into contact. "You've been squirming an awful lot. We should be there soon and then we'll get a chance to stretch our legs."

"It's about damn time; I don't know how much more I can take of sitting next to you," he complained, staring out the window. He really didn't know how much more he could fucking take before he dragged her under him right there on the bus, the others be damned (and that would definitely get his favorite appendage removed as Berry had threatened earlier that week).

When he noticed that Berry was completely silent (he had expected some sort of comment), he turned away from the window. When he saw the hurt expression on her face and the way she held herself stiffly, he thought back over what he had said. _Shit! _She thought he didn't want to sit with her for all the wrong reasons.

"Berry?"

She ignored him and continued to stare at the back of the seat in front of them. Puck sighed and grabbed her chin, turning her face to his.

In a very quiet voice, he explained, "I've been hard since we passed St. Johns and it's completely your fault. So, yeah, I don't know how much longer I can sit next to you without doing something that will make Brittany rip my dick off."

He watched Berry's face turn red and her mouth drop open (_shit, not helping_). Finally, she turned forward again and took a deep breath, but she didn't say a word. The rest of the ride to the hotel was fuckin' awkward and he wished he hadn't said anything, but he hadn't wanted to lose the progress he'd made with her.

When they finally got off the bus at the hotel that was hosting Regionals, he was fuckin' glad to be there so that he didn't have to keep sitting in that awkward as hell silence with Berry. They all gathered in the lobby and waited for their room assignments. Schue finally rejoined them after checking in.

"Okay guys, I've got your rooms; you're paired up as follows: Santana and Quinn, Mercedes and Tina, Brittany and Rachel, Kurt and Finn, Puck and Artie, and Mike and Matt. Miss Pillsbury and I have our rooms at either end of your rooms." He handed out the room keys as he spoke. "Meet back here in an hour. You're free until then, but don't leave the hotel."

As Schue and Miss Pillsbury headed for the elevators, the rest of the group disbursed. Puck knew he needed to fix things with Berry, who had split off toward the elevators with Brittany, Quinn, and Santana, so he started in her direction, but before he could reach her, a dude with puffy hair walked up to them. Puck paused and watched as Berry blushed (_that was his blush dammit_) and laughed at something the guy said as she shook his hand. Then, she nodded and the dude walked off. As soon as he was gone, Berry and the three Cheerios started giggling and talking quickly. Puck wasn't sure he liked this new turn of events. That guy had looked like a total douche.

"Hey, Berry!" he called, hoping to stop her from getting on the elevator.

She looked in his direction and waved the others to go ahead, so she was standing by herself across from the elevator when he reached her.

"What is it Noah?"

"Who was that dude and what'd he want?"

She frowned at him. "Not that it's any of your business, but that was Jesse St. James. He's the male lead of Vocal Adrenaline. He saw my solo at Sectionals and wanted to ask me out for dinner tonight after our performances."

Puck really didn't like the sound of that. Berry was just coming off of a bad breakup and he didn't want some bastard taking advantage of her. Berry was way too likely to get wrapped up with the guy since he was a singer.

"Are you sure that's a good idea Berry? The guy looked like a douche; he's the kind of guy who'll only want a fling this weekend. He's not going to want anything long-term with you," Puck warned her. He didn't want to deal with Berry's crazy when things didn't work out again.

"Who said I'm looking for anything long term?" she asked blandly. "He's already told me that he's heading to school in LA in the fall."

Puck was shocked by that response. He, like Mike and Brittany, thought that Berry was a relationship girl, so why the hell was she looking for a weekend fling with the Vocal Adrenaline douche?

"What the hell Berry?"

She got into the elevator when the doors opened. "I'm just following your advice Noah. Remember? The best way to get over someone is to get under someone else," she repeated his words back to him. "Who better than Jesse St. James?" She grinned suggestively at him as the doors closed.

He was left standing there, staring at where she had disappeared. _What the fuck had just happened? _If all she wanted was a quick fuck she should come to him, not some stranger; he thought he'd been clear about that on the bus. And the way she had grinned at him after she got on the elevator; it was completely fuckin' naughty.

_Fuck_. He desperately needed a cold shower _now_.

ooooo

As Rachel unpacked her overnight bag (she couldn't have wrinkled clothing), she was grinning broadly. She just couldn't believe that Jesse St. James, the gorgeous male lead of Vocal Adrenaline, was interested in her. When he had walked straight up to her, introduced himself, and asked her out for that night, she had been shocked. She couldn't do much more than nod. He had given her a dazzling smile and then walked off. Britt, Santana, and Quinn had immediately broken into giggles and Rachel knew that they would have told Tina, who had a small crush on the singer, by now.

Unzipping the clothing bag that held her costume for their performance, she frowned. She didn't know what was wrong with Noah. He was behaving so erratically. First on the bus he had told her that she had made him hard (and she blushed even thinking about that) then things had gotten all quiet and weird, but really? What did he expect her to say to that? Then he had seemed angry about Jesse before she'd even told him about her date with him. When she had mentioned it would only be a weekend thing, he had seemed shocked and then angry again.

And the thing was, she was attracted to Noah; she had realized that on the bus when he had said what he had said. Her very first instinct was to offer to help him with his problem, and that was completely out of character for her (it was also the reason she'd felt the heat rush to her cheeks so quickly). She was happy with the friendship that she and Puck were developing though, and the very last thing she wanted to do was destroy it by adding sex into the mix. Plus, he wasn't the sort of guy she could ever trust with her heart and she did intend to fully trust her first. So, she realized that he could never know that she was attracted to him.

In all honesty, she didn't actually plan on having sex with Jesse St. James (although she was aware that was what Puck no doubt believed she intended to do); she certainly wouldn't be averse to a little bit of kissing though. The grand total of her experience consisted of Finn and one very short makeout session the one week she and Noah were together; she thought she should broaden her horizons. Besides, it was Jesse St. James! Any glee girl worth her salt knew that if he offered, you slept with him (_not_ that Rachel would do that). He was the superstar of the Ohio glee circuit. She thought that he was a good choice to fill the post-Finn rebound position so that her next relationship, hopefully a real one, would actually stand a chance. She wasn't sure why she had left Puck to believe that she intended to sleep with Jesse though; maybe she just wanted to make sure he was as annoyed by something as she was by her unfortunate attraction to him.

She was sitting on her bed, deep in thought, when the door opened and all three Cheerios plus Tina bounded into the room.

"You have a date with Jesse St. James?!" Tina exclaimed. "I'm super jealous."

Rachel grinned at her. "I thought you loved Artie."

"I do. But this is Jesse St. James we're talking about. He's on my list of two people I'm allowed to make out with once if I ever get the chance," she responded.

"What?" Brittany sounded confused.

Tina backtracked to explain, "Artie and I each have a list of two people we're allowed to make out with without it being considered cheating. Oh, and according to the rules, we're only allowed to make out with them once each. A second time would be cheating. Jesse St. James and Puck are on my list," she admitted with a blush.

"Oh, that is too good. I have to tell Puck that," Santana announced with a smirk.

"No, you won't," Quinn stated, elbowing her in the ribs. "That list is none of Puck's business."

Tina smiled gratefully at her. "Thank you. I really only put Puck on the list because I needed two people and Artie and Jesse were the only guys I'd ever actually wanted to make out with. So, I figured why not Puck?"

"So, we are definitely putting ourselves in charge of your date preparations Rachel," Santana decided, still looking disappointed at being shut down by Quinn. "No way are we letting you go out with the hottest guy on the show choir circuit looking like you just got out of school."

"Though your shirt is really cute," Brittany added cheerily. "Is it new?"

Rachel nodded. "My dads brought it back for me from their cruise."

As her new-found friends launched into a discussion about what she should wear and how her hair should be done and what her makeup should look like, Rachel felt overwhelmed by the attention and suggestions. Sending a pleading look at Tina, who was watching silently (she just smiled at Rachel in a way that clearly said she was glad she wasn't Rachel right now-_traitor_), all of the stress over their upcoming performance disappeared. It was good to have friends.

ooooo

They had settled down to watch their competitors perform. There was no doubt that Vocal Adrenaline was their strongest opponent, because Rachel believed that they could easily beat everyone else they had seen perform. Regionals were better than Sectionals by far because they hadn't seen a single one of their song choices. Half an hour before their turn, they headed into the preparation area. The butterflies were back.

They separated into the small changing rooms; boys in one, girls in the other, of course, to change into their costumes. Kurt and Mercedes had settled on very classic outfits. The girls wore sleeveless white dresses with swishy skirts trimmed in black lace that ended above the knee, perfect for dancing, and the boys were in the suits they had worn when they performed 'Hello Goodbye'. Kurt and Mercedes had assured them that the contrasting colors of the outfits would really pop against the rest of the clubs who would no doubt match completely like they themselves had at Sectionals.

Once they had all changed, they worked to get their hair and makeup in order. Kurt and Mercedes ran around inspecting everyone to ensure that they were up to the standards the two of them had set. When they declared everyone ready, they found a good location in which to wait for their club to be introduced. Rachel was sure she was going to throw up when she finally got on stage (she was just so nervous). When their name was called, they took their places on stage for '(I've Had) the Time of My Life'. Rachel was standing next to Puck, trembling slightly. He smirked down at her and brushed his fingers along her arm.

"Calm down. We'll be fucking great," he said.

Rachel felt much better after that.

The song went rather well from what she could tell. Finn and Tina hit all the right notes and the harmonies sounded excellent. Rachel could only guess at how everyone else did on the dancing (and pray Finn didn't screw it up too badly), but she knew that she and Noah had moved together just as smoothly as ever. He was even smirking and it bordered on grinning, so it was acceptable. When he pulled her into his chest at the end of the song and held her there for those last three beats, she tried to ignore the heat that ran down her spine (she was much happier before she realized that she was attracted to him).

They pulled apart and took their bows for the applause at the end of the song. Rachel and Puck's ballad was up next, so the rest of the glee club formed a line along the back of the stage. Rachel and Puck stepped forward. The lights dimmed and a single spotlight appeared on Rachel (Puck stayed in the dark) as the music began. Rachel threw herself into the first verse and as soon as she finished, a spotlight lit on Puck as he sang his first line. They did exactly what they'd planned to; there was no complicated choreography-they simply sang to each other as if they each longed for the other to wake them up to love, life, and passion. The one exception was in the third verse. As she sang about being frozen inside, she crossed her arms and turned from him so that the distance between them was noticeable. As Puck began his next section, he stepped up behind her and, placing his hands on her shoulders, turned her to face him so that he was speaking directly to her. When they brought the song to a close, his hands were curled over her shoulders as he looked down at her and her hands were fisted in his shirt, her head tilted back to sing up to him. Rachel found that she couldn't tear her eyes away from his; there had been something more powerful about this performance than any of the previous times they had practiced together. When the music ended and the lights came up, the applause began and Rachel tore herself away from Noah to smile and curtsy to the audience. The applause was enthusiastic and several people were actually on their feet.

Rachel was feeling pretty happy. Their first two numbers had been well-received and the only one left was 'All These Things That I've Done', the group song that she and Noah were singing lead on. The rest of the glee club moved forward to take their places as she and Noah stepped back into theirs. Rachel started the song.

_When there's nowhere else to run  
Is there room for one more son  
One more son  
If you can hold on  
If you can hold on, hold on_  
**I wanna stand up, I wanna let go  
You know, you know - no you don't, you don't  
I wanna shine on in the hearts of men  
I wanna mean it from the back of my broken hand**

Rachel was happy with how Puck sounded; she could almost believe that he had worked on the song beyond just their scheduled practices.

_Another head aches, another heart breaks  
I am so much older than I can take_  
**And my affection, well it comes and goes  
I need direction to perfection, no no no no**

The rest of the group joined them for the next section.

_**Help me out  
Yeah, you know you got to help me out  
Yeah, oh don't you put me on the back burner  
You know you got to help me out**_

Rachel and Puck again took the next section.

_And when there's nowhere else to run  
Is there room for one more son_  
**These changes ain't changing me  
The gold-hearted boy I used to be**

Rachel smiled knowingly at Puck when he sang those words and he rolled his eyes just slightly at her since his face was turned from the judges. The rest of the group joined them again.

_**Yeah, you know you got to help me out  
Yeah, oh don't you put me on the back burner  
You know you got to help me out  
You're gonna bring yourself down  
**__Yeah, you're gonna bring yourself down__**  
**_**Yeah, you're gonna bring yourself down**_**  
**_  
Rachel and Puck took the next two lines alone together.

_**I got soul, but I'm not a soldier  
I got soul, but I'm not a soldier  
**_  
Finn and Tina added their voices.

_**I got soul, but I'm not a soldier  
I got soul, but I'm not a soldier  
**_  
Artie and Quinn joined in.

_**I got soul, but I'm not a soldier  
I got soul, but I'm not a soldier  
**_  
Kurt and Mercedes added their voices to the mix.

_**I got soul, but I'm not a soldier  
I got soul, but I'm not a soldier**_

The next two to join the singing were Brittany and Mike.

_**I got soul, but I'm not a soldier**_

Matt and Santana finally joined in, rounding out the last of the group as they headed into the final iteration of the chorus.

_**I got soul, but I'm not a soldier**_

__**Time, truth, and hearts**__

_**Yeah, you know you got to help me out  
Yeah, oh don't you put me on the back burner  
You know you got to help me out  
You're gonna bring yourself down  
You're gonna bring yourself down  
Yeah, oh don't you put me on the back burner  
You're gonna bring yourself down  
Yeah, you're gonna bring yourself down**_

The rest of the group faded out to background harmonies as Puck and Rachel took over to finish the song.

**Over and in, last call for sin**  
_While everyone's lost, the battle is won_  
**With all these things that I've done**  
_All these things that I've done_  
**Time, truth, and hearts**  
_**If you can hold on**_  
_If you can hold on_

When the song came to an end, the crowd was once again on their feet, cheering both the final song and the overall performance. The group again took their bows, their final ones for Regionals, before leaving the stage for the preparation area. Everyone was hugging and cheering and Rachel felt as if they had already won even though the actual results wouldn't be announced until 2:00 the next afternoon after the rest of the groups had performed.

As Puck wrapped an arm around her shoulders and dropped a friendly kiss on top of her head, telling her that she was _'fuckin' awesome'_, Rachel felt like they'd done their best, and she'd be perfectly happy with second place.

(_Although anything lower than that would, of course, be completely unacceptable._)


	8. Chapter 8

Spoilers: Only up to 'Sectionals' though stuff from the back 9 may pop in if I think it fits with my plot line.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot. Also, some of this is from Puck's viewpoint, and he's kind of an offensive guy, so I'd like to point out that his viewpoints don't always reflect mine.

A/N: I'd like to give a special thanks to everyone has reviewed my story. Not many people have reviewed, especially compared to Treading Water, so I really want to make sure that those of you who have know how much your words mean to me. Also, thank you to everyone who's reading the story; I wish more of you would review, but I'm still glad you're reading my story. It's already had over 20000 hits and 6500 visitors, which I find so amazing. As always, please read and review. I'd love to know what you think and reviews are like an addiction. Thanks!

Rachel clasped her hands in front of her nervously. _Where was he?_

After the performances had ended at 4 PM, the girls had dragged Rachel upstairs to prepare for her date. She didn't understand why they had thought that she needed to start getting ready that early; she wasn't supposed to meet Jesse for another three hours. Surely there was nothing she needed to do that would take that long.

She found out how wrong she was when they immediately shoved her into the shower and insisted that she reshave everything (she had just done so that morning) in addition to washing and conditioning her hair again. When she was done, she dried off and wrapped up in one of the fluffy white robes hanging on the back of the bathroom door. Santana had tried to force her lotion on Rachel, but Rachel declined. She didn't like heavy scents, so she would just stick with her usual strawberry scented hair products and body spray. She wanted to smell good, not overpowering, as she feared she would if she layered on too many scented products.

Santana had thrown a bit of a fit at being denied something she wanted for the second time that day. She had cursed and thrown the lotion across the room. Then she had thrust Rachel into one of the chairs and taken a comb to her wet tangles. Rachel had winced and flinched in pain the whole time as Santana took her aggressions out on her hair (Rachel also made a mental note to never again let Santana near her with a comb) before she pulled out Rachel's blow dryer and aimed it at her hair. By the time Santana was done drying her hair, Rachel's scalp hurt, but it was straight, soft, and very shiny. She really hoped Santana was done as she glanced at the other three (Quinn was sorting through Rachel's makeup and Brittany and Tina were tossing various items of clothing around-Rachel was quite sure not all of that was hers), but, alas, it was not meant to be. Santana had pulled out a small curling iron that she'd heated up and started curling Rachel's hair into ringlets. While she worked on the back, Quinn had attacked her face with her makeup. Rachel let them work and chat while she listened to Brittany and Tina argue over her outfit (and she was alarmed by the bits of their argument that she heard).

When Quinn had finished with her makeup, all but her lips, Santana had moved to the front to curl the hair that framed her face. Rachel was starting to get really impatient when she finally set the iron down and, once the curls had cooled, had run her fingers through them to blend them softly together without pulling them out. Santana pulled the sides back and, using a butterfly barrette that she had borrowed from Quinn, as she explained, clipped them together at the back of Rachel's head. Quinn had stepped back in to add a dusky red gloss to her lips.

Rachel was quite sure she was done with the torture now that Santana and Quinn had finished with her. She hadn't counted on the half a dozen outfits the other two had put together. They had pooled together clothing from all five of them so that they would have a selection to choose from. Rachel vetoed one outfit after the other; they hadn't chosen anything that she would be comfortable with. Finally, after much arguing, Rachel had chosen a short-sleeved red sweater of Quinn's and a gauzy white knee length skirt dotted with tiny red roses that Brittany had brought with her. She chose to wear her own white sandals that she had packed for her outfit tomorrow. By the time she was dressed, it had taken 2 hours and 45 minutes of her downtime, but when she saw herself in the mirror, she decided it had been worth it.

The soft curls of her hair, the light makeup that highlighted her eyes and her lips, and the feminine outfit all came together for a very romantic look.

At five 'til seven, the girls had all wished her luck and sent her downstairs to meet Jesse. It was now 7:10 and he still hadn't shown up. She was starting to feel like he had merely been teasing her when he asked her out.

"Hey, Berry, the douche stand you up?"

Rachel groaned and turned her head to see Puck heading toward her from the hotel restaurant.

"I really wish you wouldn't call him that," she said, looking over at the elevator when she heard it open again. Her heart dropped a little further when Jesse wasn't among the guests to disburse from it.

Puck came to a stop in front of her. "He did, didn't he? I can kick his ass if you want," he offered with a smirk.

"He did not stand me up; I'm sure he's merely running late. Now, go away before he shows up, sees me talking to you, and thinks that I've forgotten about our date," she demanded.

Puck rolled his eyes and Rachel was more than a little annoyed when, instead of going upstairs to his room, he took a seat in one of the lobby chairs and proceeded to watch her. The intensity of his focused gaze had heat rushing along her skin and she turned her head from him to study the elevators, crossing one leg behind her and tapping it nervously.

When another ten minutes passed with no sign of Jesse, Rachel conceded that Noah was probably right. Surely if he were coming, he would have shown up by now. The instant her shoulders slumped in defeat and her hands unclasped to drop down, Puck was at her side.

"Look, Berry, this was a shitty move for him to pull, but you look nice, so how about I take you to dinner instead?" he offered.

She stared up at him, surprised by his suggestion. "But didn't you already eat?"

He smirked. "Babe, I'm a dude; I can always eat more."

Rachel wasn't sure how wise it would be to take him up on his offer, given that she was attracted to him and feeling particularly vulnerable right now, but the girls had put a lot of effort into her appearance and she was hungry. Besides, she knew the fact that Puck rarely ever took anything seriously would make her feel better right now. She had just opened her mouth to accept when she spotted Jesse strolling toward them from the hotel doors, his eyes glued to her. She smiled at him, and Puck turned to see what she was looking at. She pushed his arm.

"Go away," she hissed. "Jesse clearly didn't stand me up."

She pushed harder when Puck didn't move and then dropped her arms to her sides when Jesse reached them.

He flashed his dazzling smile at her. "Sorry I'm late doll, but I had a couple of interviews. That's right; buy the Columbus Dispatch tomorrow and you can read all about my triumphant final year on the Ohio show choir circuit."

Rachel returned his smile, but Puck crossed his arms over his chest and scowled.

"Maybe you should've let Rachel know that you had plans already when you asked her out so she wouldn't have been stuck waiting for you for twenty minutes," he growled.

She hit him in the arm and shushed him with, "Noah!"

Jesse turned his smile on Puck. "And who are you?" he asked pleasantly.

"Noah Puckerman; I was lead with Rachel."

Jesse held out his hand to Puck and said, "Ah, yes, I recognize you now. Your voice was sufficient though nowhere near a match for Rachel's. It's nice to meet you Noah."

Rachel felt her face turn red when Noah nearly crushed Jesse's hand (seriously, his knuckles were white) and, with a glare, corrected him, "It's Puck."

Rachel curled her hand around Noah's forearm in a death grip. "Excuse me for a moment, Jesse."

She forcefully led Noah to the elevators. "Now, you listen to me Noah Puckerman. I do not know what brought on that barbaric display back there nor do I care, but it was completely uncalled for. Jesse is my date and, yes, he was late, but he explained and he had a perfectly valid reason for his tardiness. So, while your offer to take me to dinner was very sweet, it is also unnecessary now. You are going to go upstairs and let me enjoy my date in peace," she commanded him.

Puck sighed. "Listen, babe, the guy's a total douche and now that I've met him I know I'm right. Don't fuck him because I know you'll regret it if you do and I don't want to have to put your crazy ass back together again when he screws you over."

Rachel fought to hold onto her temper. "Whether or not I sleep with Jesse is of zero concern to you. We are friends; we are not dating. I can sleep with whoever I want just like you always do."

She watched Puck absorb those words (his face turned slightly red and an anger lit behind his hazel eyes) before he opened his mouth to respond, but she preempted him.

"This conversation is over. I'm going to rejoin my date and you're going to go away now."

She spun on her heel and marched back to Jesse, leaving Puck to stare after her.

ooooo

Puck was pissed. Why in the hell did Berry want that bastard? She thought his lines were bad, but that Jesse fucker's lines were ten times worse and for some fucking reason they were working on her. Plus, he obviously wasn't a stud like Puck was.

Puck watched her join the douche. He wrapped his arm around Berry's shoulders and pulled her against him. And then the bastard had the balls to look over his shoulder and smirk at Puck. He was fucking lucky that Puck didn't want to piss Berry off any more than he already had or the bastard would have a fist in his face right now. Instead Puck gave him the one finger salute and jabbed the button for the elevator.

How could Berry think of sleeping with that douche? She was a fucking virgin and no way in hell would that bastard respect that. Still fuming, he stepped onto the elevator. If she made a move on him though, he would go for it because she was fuckin' gorgeous with her hair curled and that sweater that hugged her in all the right places.

As he let himself into the room he was sharing with Artie, he slammed the door hard and then crossed the floor and threw himself onto his back on his bed. If Berry let him screw her, she'd sure as hell better make him use a rubber. Damn, what if Berry didn't think about that? Sure, she had talked about protection at the one celibacy club meeting she'd shown up for, but he doubted she packed condoms in her purse. Hell, she was going to get caught up in that bastard and wind up pregnant, he just knew it.

He was so busy thinking (_don't fucking call it wallowing_) that he didn't notice when Artie came in until the guy spoke.

"What's wrong dude?" he asked calmly.

Puck sat up. "I'm not talking about my fucking feelings. I'm not a pussy."

Artie nodded. "Fine."

He picked up the remote and turned on the TV. He was flipping through the channels when Puck exploded.

"Berry's out on a date with that Vocal Adrenaline bastard Jesse St. James right now!"

Artie muted the sound while Puck continued to rant.

"The guy is a giant douche! He was twenty minutes late for their date and when he did show up he gave her some crap excuse about how he was giving interviews. And the guy's completely full of shit; he even has a fake-ass smile, but she's just eating it all up. The bastard's going to fuck her and then ditch her and who do you think'll have to fix her again? That's right; it'll fuckin' be me." He slammed his fist into the wall on the final word.

In that calm-ass voice he always used, Artie said, "Maybe you should sit down before you damage the room and have to pay for it."

Puck scowled but dropped back down onto the bed.

"Better." He paused as he thought about what he wanted to say. "Okay, I've never actually met Jesse St. James, so I can't say whether or not he's a jerk, but I know that most of the girls in glee have a thing for him, so it's not surprising that Rachel went out with him." He hesitated before asking, "Do you think the reason you're so angry is because you want Rachel for yourself?"

"Hell no," Puck answered without hesitation. "I want to fuck her-she's hot-but I sure as hell don't want to date her. If I thought she could trust the dude, I'd be fine with her dating him. But this guy is a total douche and she can do better."

Artie sighed. "Well there's nothing you can do about it, so you need to accept that. This is Rachel Berry we're talking about; she's going to do what she wants no matter what everyone else thinks. It's one of the things I respect about her even though it makes her life harder than it needs to be. Jesse St. James is a senior though, so she probably won't see him after this weekend."

Puck frowned. None of this was making him feel better, so he turned the discussion onto Artie. "While I'm being a pussy and talking about feelings and shit, did you ever come clean with Tina about how it is you're not a virgin and she is?"

Artie turned red. "Yeah, we've talked about it."

"Why the fuck did you tell her you were a virgin? You had to know she'd get pissed when she found out you lied."

"I only did it once last summer with a girl from East Lima High that I've known forever; our parents are friends. It's not something I'm proud of, and I didn't think Tina would ever find out. It was just easier to agree when she said that she was a virgin," he admitted, looking ashamed of himself.

"If she takes you back, then you are one fucking lucky dude," Puck told him. "You also know that if you ever tell anyone we talked about this shit, I'll stuff you in a port-a-potty and this time I will fuckin' roll it."

"I know," Artie answered.

ooooo

Rachel was enjoying her dinner with Jesse. They'd already finished eating, and now they were sitting together drinking soda while they talked. She had discovered that Jesse really liked to talk about himself, so the conversation had flowed easily even if it was one-sided. She couldn't remember the last time she had been so quiet for such a long stretch of time. It was a good thing he was entertaining and so pretty to look at.

"And that is how I saved her from the fire," he finished yet another story of his personal heroism.

Rachel nodded. "Very impressive." God, she was glad she wouldn't have to see him after this weekend, and she definitely wouldn't be sleeping with him. He was just charming enough that she would still make out with him, but he was kind of self-absorbed. She would never be able to handle a long term relationship with him.

Rachel yawned. "I think it's time for me to turn in. Our director is making us get up early tomorrow to attend the rest of the performances."

Jesse checked his watch. "You're right. I have to give an interview with the local morning show. I would hate to appear on television with circles under my eyes."

They had already settled the check, so as they stood up, Jesse took her hand and led her from the restaurant. "I'll walk you to your room."

His skin on hers was like a warm current (it wasn't anything like the heat Noah generated in her maybe, but-_darn it, she wasn't thinking about him tonight_). As she rode the elevator with Jesse, she wondered what it would feel like to kiss him. When they stopped in front of her door, she pulled out her passkey and faced him.

"I had a lovely time tonight Jesse. Thank you for inviting me," she said sincerely. He may have talked all about himself (and she doubted half of the stories he'd told her were true), but he had been very interesting.

He smiled. "Listen, doll, I'm afraid I can't do this properly since I need to get to bed, but I'd hate to send you off without something to remember me by."

Rachel was confused by that. _What was he talking about?_

Curling his fingers over her shoulders, he tilted his head to one side slightly and lowered his lips to hers.

As his lips moved against hers, it was pleasant enough; it reminded her a lot of kissing Finn. She didn't feel any of the fire that she felt in Noah's touch though, and she was kind of disappointed by that. When she felt Jesse's tongue against her lips, she pulled away from him.

He ran his thumb across her cheek. "What are you doing tomorrow at noon?"

"Eating, probably," she said with a grin.

"Meet me in the pool room instead. It should be deserted while everyone's at lunch," he demanded and then he walked back to the elevator.

As Rachel unlocked her door and went inside to face Brittany's interrogation, she knew she'd be in the pool room at lunch tomorrow (she was too intrigued not to show up).

ooooo

At noon the next day, Rachel entered the hotel's deserted indoor pool room. The final glee club had just performed and the judges had gone into seclusion to decide the winners of the competition. In two more hours, she would gather with the rest of her teammates and learn whether they had placed. The continued existence of their club depended on them placing at least third. Her nerves were on edge once again.

Someone grabbed her hand and when he passed her, she saw that it was Jesse. He sat down in one of the loungers that had been moved back into a corner of the room and pulled her down onto his lap. She held herself stiffly; she wasn't so sure she wanted to sit quite so close to him.

"Relax doll. I'm not gonna bite. Hard," he said, running one hand down her spine.

She tried to do just what he told her to (despite the cheesy line he followed it up with), but she couldn't. The last time she had sat in someone's lap, it had been Puck's and she remembered (_vividly_) his response to her. Sitting in Jesse's lap didn't feel the same though.

Jesse sighed. "I'll simply have to relax you myself."

He leaned forward and kissed her. As he focused his attention on her, Rachel felt herself relax into his embrace. He may not be Noah, but it's not like she could have him anyway.

ooooo

Puck had been on edge all day. He'd seen Berry when they were watching the other clubs perform and she had looked happy, but he was still worried about her and the douche. He hoped she hadn't fucked the bastard. He was _thisclose _to asking Brittany to do her thing and tell him whether or not Berry was still a virgin, but he didn't want to draw any fuckin' attention to himself. He didn't like the way Brittany and Mike were looking at him (he wondered if Artie had fuckin' blabbed and if he had, it was the nearest port-a-potty for him) so he was looking for somewhere that he could be alone. When he was passing by the pool room, he noticed that it was empty, so he pushed the door open.

When he heard a girl moaning after he entered, he was sure he'd hit the fucking jackpot. How often did you ever catch someone having sex in public? Plus, he'd probably get to see some boobs. So, naturally, he headed toward the moaning.

When he neared a lounge that had been pushed into the corner, he saw that the girl was straddling the boy with her arms wrapped around his neck. That was hot; he'd always been a fan of girl on top. When the overhead light shined down on the couple, highlighting the gold strands in the girl's brown hair, Puck realized that was Berry and she was all over the douche. He clenched his fists tightly and reminded himself that Berry would kick his ass if he went over there and beat the shit out of the bastard. When she moaned again, he felt his jaw tighten. _Why the fuck was she making out with that fucker?_

"Oh, Noah," she whimpered as the bastard kissed her neck.

As the two of them went still, Puck got instantly stiff. She had fucking said his name. She may have been all over that fucking bastard, but she was thinking about him. He'd just been screwing with her on the sex thing, but this changed everything. She fuckin' wanted him and he wanted her, so he would have her.

He backed up when the floppy-haired jerk pushed her off him and left the room. When he started to approach her, he saw the look on her face and it froze him in his tracks. She looked shattered; it hit him that she may want him, but she didn't fucking look like she wanted to want him. _Shit_. And he actually liked her so he couldn't push the sex issue. _It fucking sucked being friends with Berry_. While he was frozen there, she looked up and met his eyes. Turning a dark red, she leaped up from the lounge chair and took off.

ooooo

Rachel was positively mortified; she couldn't believe that she had said Noah's name while she was making out with Jesse. And even worse, Noah had clearly heard her say it. She'd seen his erection in his jeans and the intensity in his eyes. She knew he wanted her just as much in that moment as she had wanted him. So, she had run. They were friends; she couldn't ruin that just because she wondered what his lips and his skin would taste like. _Oh, she was in so much trouble._

When she rejoined their group for the awards ceremony, she joined Brittany, Santana, Quinn, Mike, and Matt, sending a wave at Tina where she was standing with Artie. Puck joined their group, and he and Rachel avoided each other, drawing suspicious glances from the others. The emcee of the competition stepped to the center of the stage.

"We hope that everyone enjoyed the performances that each of our groups presented. You all did wonderful jobs, but only three of our groups will place today. The judges have made their decision and it's time to see who they chose as the top three show choirs in the state of Ohio."

Brittany and Quinn grabbed either one of Rachel's hands in anticipation.

"In third place, we have the Lancaster Swingers."

Rachel watched as the choir of about 30 members ran up on stage excitedly.

"Second place goes to returning champs Carmel High's Vocal Adrenaline."

They responded considerably less enthusiastically than the third place winners. As Jesse led them onstage, Rachel could tell they had fully expected to win. She tightened her hands around Brittany's and Quinn's. _If they hadn't won..._

"Our first place show choir, which the judges inform me produced a ballad that set them above the rest, is McKinley High's New Directions!"

Rachel stood there for a moment, completely stunned. _They had won? _ It finally sank in. _They had won!_ Brittany and Quinn pulled her onto the stage with the rest of the group. They were noisy, cheering and shouting. Brittany had dropped her hand to hug Mike and Santana and Quinn threw their arms around Rachel and jumped up and down with her, all pretense of dignity gone. Finn was hefting the large trophy into the air above his head, and Tina was in Artie's lap as he spun his chair around while Puck and Matt high-fived. Mercedes and Kurt were hugging, and looking out into the audience, Rachel could see Mr. Schuester and Miss Pillsbury, both with tears leaking out of their eyes as they cheered themselves hoarse. When Quinn and Santana broke away from Rachel to join Artie and Tina, Rachel found herself swept off her feet in a tight hug. She knew Puck had her from the heat that shot straight to her core and she threw her arms around his neck, holding tightly to him.

"See? I told you you were fuckin' awesome," he said in her ear above all the shouting.

When he dropped her back onto her feet, she beamed up at him. She couldn't help but think that he was pretty awesome himself.

ooooo

The ride back to Lima was pretty wonderful. Everyone was still high on their win; they had actually managed to beat Vocal Adrenaline, and they had never truly expected that they would-merely hoped for it. Rachel sat with Brittany while Mike rode with Puck instead. She knew that the ride down had been torture for Noah, so she didn't want to put him through the same thing again. Plus she thought it would be easier for her too, now that she had realized just how attracted to him she was. The win had eased the tension between them for a short while, but by the time they loaded onto the bus, everything was awkward. She was worried that things would never be right between them again now that he knew that she wanted him.

When they pulled into the parking lot of the school, everyone was still talking and laughing as they unloaded. Rachel hugged the girls and waved at Mike and Matt before heading for her dads' car. Before she reached them, Noah snagged her wrist and tugged her off course.

"Noah? What are you doing?" she asked, perplexed.

"Ice cream, Berry. You agreed to it on Thursday, remember?" he reminded her as they reached his truck and he opened the passenger side door. "Get in Berry."

"But my dads-they're here to take me home," she protested.

He smirked at her. "While you were busy saying your girlie goodbyes to everyone, I told your dads that I'm taking you out."

"And they agreed?"

Rachel was stunned. She knew that Dad didn't like him; he asked a lot of questions after Puck had shown up at their door that one evening to talk to her and then Dad had told her that she couldn't trust him (_like she didn't already know that_). So, she wondered how Puck had talked her fathers into letting her go with him. Because there was no doubt that he had; when they drove past her fathers, Daddy waved at her. Ah, he must have gone through Daddy, who was always much more trusting.

"Your short dad wasn't happy, but your tall one shut him up and said that it was okay as long as I have you home by seven. That's one fucking early curfew Berry."

"My curfew's actually ten on school nights, but they just got back from their cruise on Friday night and because of Regionals we've barely spent any time together since then, even though they were there for our performance yesterday. I'm sure that's why they want me home. I'm also quite sure they're wondering if we won," she mused out loud before adding, "Oh, and the short one is Dad-his name is Charlie. The tall one is Daddy and his name is Darren."

"Whatever Berry. I don't fucking care," he responded without taking his eyes off the road.

Upset by his rejection of her conversation, Rachel sat back and stared out the window. She had two hours before he had to have her home. She really hoped that she could get through that time without doing anything stupid.

When they reached the Dairy Queen, she hopped down from his truck. He pushed the door to the building open and ushered her through with a hand on the small of her back. When her skin began to crawl (_in an entirely too delicious way_), she squirmed slightly to move it off of her. He apparently paid attention because he dropped his hand.

After they had ordered, they sat down across from each other at a small table in the corner. As Puck ate his banana split, Rachel poked her spoon at her Oreo blizzard. She could feel the nerves building in her stomach, so she knew that she was going to break and say what she needed to say. Finally, she looked across the table at him.

"I'm not going to have sex with you," she declared.

He met her eyes. "You keep saying that babe, but we both know you moaned my name when you were making out with that douche today."

Rachel sighed deeply. She knew he had heard that, but hearing him say it out loud made it real.

"I did; there's no point in trying to deny that, but it doesn't change anything." Dropping her spoon into her cup, she leaned back in her seat and kept her focus on him. "I'm attracted to you; way more than I wish I were, and after today I don't think that's any secret. I consider you a friend first though, and I don't want to ruin that. Sex would; it would ruin everything more fully than anything else ever could because you're still basically a bad boy and I'm still basically a good girl. It's a cliche that never works."

"If you're a good girl, then why the fuck did you go after that bastard?" he questioned her harshly. "You were acting like you planned to screw him."

She blushed. "I never actually intended to sleep with him. I want my first time to be special, with someone I love, not a one night stand like it would have been with Jesse." _Or you_, she mentally added. She couldn't believe she was being so open with him about this.

He scowled at her. "That was a crappy thing to make me think. I was worried as hell that you'd get yourself hurt and I'd have to fuckin' fix it like with Finn." His expression lightened up. "I'll try to aim my considerable charms at other chicks. But if you get caught in my beam of studliness, I won't be held responsible for what happens, even if that means we end up fucking."

Rachel squirmed slightly in her seat at hearing it stated so bluntly. Heat arrowed to her core at the mental images his words provoked. The fact that he had worried about her and that he'd be there for her even if she made a mistake was like a double-edged sword. It made the heat stronger, but it also proved that he truly was her friend and reinforced her belief that she couldn't risk that friendship for the physical pleasure that she was sure he could give her. She decided that she had to go back to her initial response to her attraction to him; she needed to ignore it.

"Keep issuing lines like that and there won't be any problem. Honestly Noah, beam of studliness?" She rolled her eyes at him but her grin softened her words.

"Come on babe, you know there's a reason why no girl can resist me," he asserted, flashing her a cocky smirk.

"Fine Noah. You're a stud and a badass and whatever else you think you are," she reassured him in a patronizing tone, patting his arm where it lay on the table.

When he reached over and stole her blizzard, causing her to give an indignant shriek and reach for it, she felt like things were back to normal. Maybe ignoring their attraction would be easier than she had thought.

AN 2: Sorry if my characterization of Jesse was off, but as I've only seen him in the one episode, I had to base it off what I took away. And what I took away wasn't exactly flattering (I got that he was very self-absorbed, overly proud of himself, and untrustworthy-so, basically Puck's opinion is a more extreme version of my own of the character). Note that this opinion has nothing to do with Jon Groff himself.


	9. Chapter 9

Spoilers: Only up to 'Sectionals' though stuff from the back 9 may pop in if I think it fits with my plot line.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot. Also, some of this is from Puck's viewpoint, and he's kind of an offensive guy, so I'd like to point out that his viewpoints don't always reflect mine. I also don't own '(I Hate) Everything About You', 'Celebrity Skin', or the song that Puck sings later on.

A/N: I'd like to give a special thanks to everyone who reviewed last chapter. It was nice to have so many people review the chapter. I would like to reiterate to those of you who have reviewed that your encouragement means a lot to me. Also, thank you to everyone who's reading the story; I wish more of you would review, but I'm still glad you're reading my story. This chapter takes a slightly different format. They're hitting summer, so the time will skip faster, only hitting the highlights since they won't see each other as often. As always, please read and review. I'd love to know what you think of the chapter's format and reviews are like an addiction. Thanks!

When Rachel stepped out of her house on Monday morning to get into her Prius, she wasn't expecting Noah's truck to be parked in the driveway behind her car.

"You're blocking me in!" she called to him, squinting against the sun as she approached him.

"That's the point babe!" he yelled back through his open window. "Get in; I'm driving you to school."

After Rachel scrambled into his truck, ignoring his laughter at her difficulties, she turned to face him as she buckled her seat belt.

"You know, if we are truly going to carpool, we should take my car. This truck is surely a gas-guzzler and my Prius..."

"Shut up Berry," he cut her off with a smirk.

Pouting, she reached over and flipped on his radio, silently daring him to reprimand her for it. He scowled at her but didn't say anything, so she sat back with a smug smile.

ooooo

"Hey Berry!"

Puck watched Berry stop at the sound of his voice between sixth and seventh period on Tuesday. He was glad that he had caught her.

"Hey, Coach called a fuckin' extra practice for after school since we don't have glee anymore. I can't take you home. Are you going to be able to find someone to give you a ride?" he asked. He felt crappy for ditching her like this, especially after the progress he'd made with her.

She smiled. "It's okay Puck."

He raised an eyebrow. He couldn't tell if she was telling the truth or if she was doing that girl thing where she pretends she's okay but she's actually fucking pissed.

"Are you sure babe?"

"Yes, Noah, I'm sure. It really is fine. Brittany warned me about the extra practice before last period since Mike had to cancel their plans for it. She's going to give me a ride home," Rachel said earnestly. "So go have fun hitting your touchdowns or whatever it's called."

He groaned. "You're killing me here Berry. Hitting a touchdown?"

She rolled her eyes at his tone and started back down the hallway.

"It's called hitting a homerun, babe!" he yelled after her, drawing the eyes of Jack Kessinger and James Tanner, a couple of his teammates. "What the hell are you looking at?" he shot at them. He didn't fucking like the way they were looking him (he ignored the fact that him yelling after Berry in the hallways wasn't exactly normal behavior).

ooooo

"You coming to the game on Sunday?"

Rachel was riding home with Puck on Wednesday. He had picked her up every day so far that week so she guessed he would continue to do so for the rest of the school year (their last day was Friday and she couldn't wait). She was reorganizing her playlists on her I-Pod (she was setting up one that she knew he would approve of for when they were together).

"What game?" she wondered absently, scrolling through her list of happy songs.

She was so focused on her I-Pod that she missed the disbelieving look he sent her direction.

"_What game?_" he asked incredulously. "Babe, it's the first baseball game of the season. You've got to come and support the team."

Deciding there was nothing appropriate on her happy list, she switched to her angry list (she thought that might be more Noah's style) and shook her head. "I don't know anything about baseball and since I'm not dating Finn anymore, I don't have to go to the games. That's one of the best things about breaking up with him."

While she added Three Days Grace's '(I Hate) Everything About You' to her Noah playlist, he shot her another glance.

"Come on Berry; you have to come to the game. Isn't that what friends do?" He reached over and prodded her arm.

She finally took her eyes off her I-Pod (she was debating whether or not to add Hole's 'Celebrity Skin' to her new playlist) when he touched her. Ignoring that annoying feeling it caused in the pit of her stomach (she hoped that lessened with time), she examined his face. He wasn't looking at her, but from his profile, she could tell he really wanted her to come to the game. She sighed. _She had really thought that she had gotten out of baseball season._

"Fine. I'll come and cheer you on, but if I watch the game, I don't want to have to hear a play-by-play from you later," she warned him. That was one of the things she had hated about going to Finn's basketball games; he always felt the need to talk about it for hours after.

He sent her a satisfied smirk before she turned back to her I-Pod. While she went ahead and added 'Celebrity Skin' (she really liked it; she didn't care how he felt about it), he told her something that made her feel better about attending his game.

"Brittany will be there for Mike, so you'll have company babe."

She grinned down at her I-Pod. If she could hang out with Britt, then she might actually enjoy herself.

ooooo

"Hey Puck! Wait up a sec!"

Puck frowned when Jack Kessinger yelled for him. Coach had just dismissed practice and he was headed for the locker room so he could change and take Berry home. She had opted to hang out in the auditorium while she waited for him when he had told her about today's practice when he dropped her off yesterday. He was sure that she was singing and possibly playing the piano (she had confessed that she knew how to play but that she was self-conscious about her abilities). Jack was a decent guy though, so he couldn't just leave him hanging. He waited near the edge of the diamond while Jack ran in from the outfield (they had just finished a practice game).

"What do you need Jack? I'm in a hurry," he pointed out impatiently.

Jack ran a hand over the back of his neck. "Listen. Umm…"

"Spit it out. Berry's waiting for me," Puck said, starting toward the locker room. No way was he going to make her fucking wait just so he could listen to her rant at him.

Jack fell into step next to him. "That's just it; you're friends with Rachel Berry, right?"

Puck scowled at him. The bastard better not be taking a shot at Berry. "Yeah. You got a problem with that?"

Jack shook his head vigorously. "No, dude. Just...think you could introduce me?"

Puck stopped and glared at him. "Did Kurt Hummel put you up to this?"

"No, why would he?" the other guy asked.

Puck studied him carefully; the dude really did look confused. _What the hell?_

"Since when do you have a thing for Berry?"

"Dude, are you kidding? Rachel Berry is one of the hottest girls at this school," he said with a girn.

Puck didn't like that answer and it must have shown on his face, because Jack rushed on.

"She's also smart, really talented, and one of the nicest people I've ever seen. Plus she's strong to deal with all the crap everyone puts her through and still smile. I would have asked her out before, but since I'm a jock I didn't think she'd go for me because she'd think I was just messing with her. If you introduce me to her though, she'll know I'm being real with her," Jack finished earnestly.

Puck considered what he'd said. The dude definitely had some of Berry's good traits figured out and she could always use another friend to help protect her. He wasn't too worried that they'd start dating or any of that crap; they had nothing in common and Jack wasn't her type at all.

"Sure. She'll be at the game on Saturday; just stick around after and I'll introduce you since you're too much of a fucking pussy to do it yourself," he decided.

_What's the worst that could happen?_

ooooo

"Can you believe we're finally out of school?" Rachel asked happily.

She was bouncing next to Puck on the way to his truck after school on Friday. It was finally summer! She'd get to sleep in a little longer every day, she didn't have to worry about homework, and, best of all, she had friends this summer that she could spend plenty of time with. In fact, she already had plans to go swimming with Brittany, Santana, Quinn, and Tina next week. Brittany was also excited that she was going to the baseball game tomorrow.

"Yeah Berry, I can believe it; the school year only lasted fucking forever," he declared.

Puck was walking a bit slower, but she even noticed some extra life to his step.

"Well you still seem just as happy as I am," she pointed out as they reached his truck and she scrambled up into it.

"Fuck yeah, I'm happy. My pool cleaning business is back up and running and that means one thing," he stated, starting up the truck.

"Money?" She reached over to flip on the radio.

"Cougars," he announced, wiggling his eyebrows at her lecherously.

She laughed with him, but inside she felt the ugly stirrings of jealousy. She really didn't want to think of him sleeping with the many cougars of Lima.

ooooo

"You were so good!" Berry shouted jumping up to throw her arms around his neck.

Puck's team had just won their game, so the season was off to a fuckin' good start. He'd been particularly badass today and he had a suspicion it was because Berry was in the stands. She may not understand the game, but she cheered her ass off anytime their team scored or the other team earned an out (he guessed Brittany, who was sitting next to her, had helped her to know when to cheer). She had also screamed each time he'd gone up to bat and gotten a hit. Puck had never had anyone at one of his baseball games before; Santana hadn't been interested when they were dating and his mom never had the time. He'd never dated anyone else and all of his closest friends were on the team, except for Brittany who was there for Mike, and Quinn, who said baseball was too boring. It was completely fucking awesome to have someone who was there cheering just for him.

"I can't believe the baseball team isn't horrible like the other teams are," she said in his ear.

Oh, right, Berry was still hanging from his neck; his arms had gone around her waist without him even noticing. He tightened them, holding her closer to him. She planted a kiss on his cheek and then wiggled so he let her down (and pretended he didn't miss the way her curves had pressed against him).

Slightly red in the face, she grinned up at him. "I didn't know watching baseball could be so much fun. I can't stand when Daddy watches it at home."

"That's because you're not watching me play babe. You know you fuckin' love watching my tight ass run around the bases." He smirked at her.

Her blush darkened and she whispered, "Yeah, the sight was lovely."

Just as he was about to reach out and grab her again (and he would get more than a fucking hug this time), Jack's voice sounded from behind him.

"Hey, Puck, good game man."

He came to a stop next to Puck and threw a glance at Rachel. Puck realized he had promised to introduce the guy to her, but he was half tempted to toss Berry over his shoulder, haul her to his truck, and fuck her through the seat. Instead, he rolled his eyes at Jack.

"Berry, this is Jack Kessinger. Jack, you already know who Berry is."

Berry flashed that bright smile of hers at the other guy. "It's nice to meet you Jack."

He smiled widely back at her. "I've wanted to ask you out for a while Rachel. So, will you go to the movies with me?"

Puck frowned. He hadn't actually expected the dude to ask her out today. When Berry blushed and accepted, his frown deepened. _What the fuck?_ She was just going to go out with someone she didn't know? At least she had known who the Vocal Adrenaline douche was when she went out with him.

While he listened to them make plans for the next night, Puck realized that he had been fuckin' stupid. He had asked what the worst that could happen was and now he had his answer. Berry dating Jack was the fucking worst thing that could happen and _it was all his fucking fault._

ooooo

"You can't do this Noah!"

Rachel had been dating Jack for a week; he was actually quite sweet and they got along really well. She had initially accepted his invitation because she was too tempted by Noah; she needed something to distract her. She hadn't expected to like the guy as much as she did. It turned out that Jack actually had a decent singing voice, and he played the piano. She hadn't expected either of those things from him. If their physical relationship (which had only extended to a handful of kisses so far) was less than great, that was an okay exchange for their compatibility (she was pretending that she didn't wish he was Noah every time he touched her). However, Noah hadn't taken well to their continued relationship. He had come over today to clean the pool her fathers had installed for this summer, and he had just told her that she wasn't _allowed_ to continue to date Jack.

"You have no say over who I date; we went over this with Jesse! You're my friend, so you should support my choices," she continued angrily, poking him in the chest. "Jack's a good guy and he treats me right. I can trust him."

"I don't fucking care!" Puck growled at her. "He is not the right guy for you."

She set her hands on her hips and glared at him. "And who is the right guy for me?" _Please say you_, an internal voice pleaded to her great surprise; she knew she was physically attracted to him but she hadn't realized that ran so deep.

He pulled at his mohawk in fury. "I don't fucking know, but it's not Jack. I don't want you to fuck him."

Ignoring the let down feeling, Rachel focused on his final words. She couldn't believe him. Like he had any room to tell her not to have sex with someone. She crossed her arms over her chest.

"I'll tell you what. If you can tell me honestly that you haven't had sex with five different women over the last week, then I won't have sex with my _boyfriend_." She stressed the final word; it showed a commitment that Puck didn't currently have with anyone.

Puck didn't say a word; merely scowled at her.

"That's what I thought." She lowered her arms; she was so tired of fighting with him. Walking over to him, she laid a hand on his arm. "It's better this way." Dropping her hand, she went inside.

She heard him yell 'Fuck!' loudly as she slid the glass door shut. She fought back her tears. She had no right to be upset that he had slept with five other women.

ooooo

_'It's better this way.'_

It had been a week since he and Berry had fought over her and Jack, and her words continued to haunt him. _What the fuck had she meant by that? What was better? Their friendship?_ Because it sure as hell didn't feel like it; they hadn't talked since their fight. And as much as it made him want to throw himself under the nearest train to admit it, he fucking missed her. She was crazy and stubborn and she rarely ever shut the fuck up for more than thirty seconds at a time, but she was his crazy, stubborn, talkative midget. It finally hit him; if he wanted to keep her, he was going to have to deal with her dating fuckin' Jack and pretend that he was okay with it.

When he got into his truck after cleaning Mrs. Martelli's pool, he grabbed his cell phone and dialed Berry. He really hoped she would pick up.

"Hello, Noah."

_Shit, her voice sounded ice cold._

"Hey Berry. Listen, we have a home game on Monday at three. Are you coming?"

There was a long silence on her end of the phone. He really hoped that she got that he was apologizing (but he didn't fucking say he was sorry. _Ever_). Just as he thought he might have to break that rule, she spoke.

"I'll be there; Jack already invited me."

_Of fucking course_, he thought with a scowl.

"I'll be there cheering for you," she continued before softly adding, "and I accept your apology Noah."

(And that shit right there was why she was his best friend.)

Then he heard it; the annoyingly familiar voice in the background.

"Hey, Rach, I just took the last of your bread. Do you want me to run out for more?"

Berry's voice faded just a bit as she answered, "No I'll just put it on the list." Her voice was stronger when she said, "I'm sorry, Noah; I need to go. Jack's over right now."

"Whatever Berry."

By the time they hung up, he was home (Mrs. Martelli lived nearby). He immediately headed up to his room and grabbed his guitar. He was going to try using music since that was what always helped Berry. And he knew just the fuckin' song. Strumming out the notes to the acoustic version (it was one of his favorite songs), he started to sing.

**Coming out of my cage  
And I've been doing just fine  
Gotta gotta be down  
Because I want it all  
It started out with a kiss  
How did it end up like this?  
It was only a kiss, it was only a kiss  
**  
He fucking wished he'd kissed Berry.

**Now I'm falling asleep  
And she's calling a cab  
While he's having a smoke  
And she's taking a drag  
Now they're going to bed  
And my stomach is sick  
And it's all in my head  
But she's touching his chest  
Now, he takes off her dress  
Now, let me go**

**And I just can't look - it's killing me  
And taking control**

He really fuckin' hoped that Berry hadn't given it up to that jackass yet.

**Jealousy, turning saints into the sea  
Swimming through sick lullabies  
Choking on your alibis  
But it's just the price I pay  
Destiny is calling me  
Open up my eager eyes  
'Cause I'm Mr. Brightside  
**  
He was Noah Puckerman; he didn't get fucking jealous.

**I'm coming out of my cage  
And I've been doing just fine  
Gotta gotta be down  
Because I want it all  
It started out with a kiss  
How did it end up like this?  
It was only a kiss, it was only a kiss  
**  
So maybe he did get jealous.

**Now I'm falling asleep  
And she's calling a cab  
While he's having a smoke  
And she's taking a drag  
Now they're going to bed  
And my stomach is sick  
And it's all in my head  
But she's touching his chest  
Now, he takes off her dress  
Now, let me go**

'Cause I just can't look - it's killing me  
And taking control

He had fucking mental images of that bastard Jack putting his hands on Berry.

**Jealousy, turning saints into the sea  
Swimming through sick lullabies  
Choking on your alibis  
But it's just the price I pay  
Destiny is calling me  
Open up my eager eyes  
'Cause I'm Mr Brightside**

I never...  
I never...  
I never...  
I never...

By the time he finished the song, the only thing stopping him from going straight to Berry's house and breaking Jack's damn nose was the fact that Berry was finally talking to him again.

_And her method of dealing with her feelings sure as hell didn't work for him.  
_  
ooooo

When Berry hugged him after they won their game on Monday and then ditched him to hug Jack, who kissed her, Puck realized that pretending he was okay with them was going to be a lot fucking harder than he'd thought.

(He also felt a little smug that she had hugged him first_._)

ooooo

"I have an audition for the community theater's summer production of Grease," Rachel told Puck excitedly over lunch three weeks into June. "I'm going straight from here to there."

Her relationship with Puck had improved considerably since he called and apologized in his own way. She had learned not to mention Jack when they were together and that seemed to keep the peace. There was still tension though, because not only did Jack hang between them, but the sexual tension hadn't decreased at all since Regionals. In fact, Rachel felt like it had only grown stronger on her part.

He smirked at her. "I'd wish you luck, but you don't fucking need it."

She blushed at the compliment. "I really want the part of Rizzo. She's not the main female lead of course, but I find her character so much more interesting than Sandy. She doesn't ever give up any part of who she is just to be what everyone else thinks she should be; I really admire that."

"She sounds a lot like you," he mused. "Wait, isn't she the slutty one?"

Rachel huffed in annoyance. "That's debatable. Yes, she sleeps with Kenickie and is rumored to have slept with others, but she also dates Kenickie for a good part of it and rumors are often false."

"She thinks she's pregnant and tells Kenickie it's someone else's," he pointed out.

She stared at him in surprise. "You actually know the the play don't you? I'm impressed Noah."

He rolled his eyes. "My mom and sister both love the movie."

"Okay. And, yes Rizzo thinks that she's pregnant in both the play and the movie, but there is no proof that she didn't say that to Kenickie because he had just told her that he takes care of his mistakes. That's not what a pregnant woman would want to hear from the father of her baby. Plus, they had unprotected sex earlier in the movie; they even made a big point of how his condom was expired but they were going to do it anyway," she explained.

"If it was Kenickie's, it was fucking wrong of her to keep it from him," he said seriously.

It struck Rachel that the topic probably hit close to home for him with the way Quinn had initially treated him when she found out that she was pregnant.

"Yeah, it was wrong, but she wasn't pregnant and they did wind up together in the end. Anyway, I think it would be interesting to play her role because it's so very different from who I am in so many ways," she confessed.

"So, you're still a virgin then?" The words sounded torn from him.

She smiled. "Yes, I am." She checked her watch and missed the relief that crossed his face. "Oh, I have to go! I don't want to be late!"

She hopped up and he told her to call when she found out.

ooooo

"I got it! I got it!"

Puck held his phone away from his ear while Berry screamed. After she'd left the diner (the same one they'd visited after forking Finn's yard), he'd gone to his next job-cleaning Mrs. Braska's pool. He'd kept his phone in reach the whole time so that he could answer as soon as she called, which had happened when he was gathering his supplies after finishing the job. When she quieted down, he brought the phone back to his ear.

"I knew you fucking would Berry."

"I know you did, but I'm just so excited! I have to go because I've got to call Jack and Brittany, but I just couldn't wait to tell you," she said excitedly before hanging up.

He grinned. She had fucking called him first. _Hell yeah!_

"Would you like to come in for some lemonade, Puck?" Mrs. Braska offered, leaning against the frame of the back door, her robe hanging open to reveal the lace teddy underneath.

"Sorry, Mrs. Braska, I've gotta go celebrate with my girl. She just got a part in Grease." He didn't even hesitate to turn down what he knew was actually an offer of sex.

He also noticed that he had called Berry his girl (and that just felt fucking_ right_ so he made a decision then and there).

ooooo

Rachel was reading through her lines on the couch when the doorbell rang. Her dads were both still at work so she answered. She grinned broadly when she found Noah standing there.

He held out a single orange gerber daisy to her. Amazed, she took it from him.

"You remembered my favorite flower?"

He smirked at her. "With all the fuckin' talking you do, I do occasionally listen."

She launched herself into his arms and he caught her, lifting her off the floor to hug her tightly.

"Congratulations on the part babe. You're gonna fucking wow them all," he muttered before setting her back on the floor.

She tilted her head back to smile up at him. "So, what are you doing here?"

"I'm here to take you to dinner to celebrate. If you don't already have plans with Jack," he added with a disgusted twist of his mouth on the name.

She shook her head. "No, I don't. Let me put the flower in water and grab my purse and we can go."

Once she had done both of those things (she still couldn't believe he had brought her her favorite flower), she followed him out the door to his truck. Even though they hadn't rode anywhere together since the last day of school, she was just as comfortable in his truck now as she was then. She turned on the radio and sang along with it while he drove them to wherever they were going.

When he stopped the truck, she looked at the building and realized that he had brought her to her favorite Chinese restaurant.

"Oh, I've been craving lo mein for the longest time!" she exclaimed as she scrambled out of his truck and crossed in front of it to where he was waiting. "Do you have psychic powers too?"

He laughed and threw his arm around her shoulders as he led her across the parking lot. "No, I just figured that since it's your favorite you'd be good with coming here."

After they were seated, they immediately ordered when the waitress came over. Neither of them needed a menu to know what they wanted.

Puck scowled. "So why didn't your perfect boyfriend take you out tonight?"

Rachel sighed. She was in a good mood, and she would not let them argue about Jack and ruin it.

"He's happy for me, but he doesn't really understand how big this is, you know," she explained honestly.

"I'm not trying to pick a fight with you Berry, but what do you see in that guy? What can he give you that...that someone else can't?"

With the way he had stammered in the middle of the second question, Rachel thought that maybe he was going to ask what Jack could give her that he couldn't (and she wanted that suspicion to be real more than she should). She couldn't call him on it though because he had changed direction mid-question.

"Jack's a good guy and I can trust him, which is something I need after Finn."

"But he can't possibly give you the passion you need. And you can fucking deny it all you want, but I know you babe and you need someone who can set you on fire," he said intensely, leaning across the table toward her.

He reached out with both hands and twined his fingers with hers on top of the table. Stroking his thumb along the back of one hand, he met her eyes with his hazel ones and she could see a fire smoldering behind them.

"I realized something today babe. I walked out on guaranteed sex with a hot cougar because I wanted to help you celebrate your part. I have never walked out on sex, not even when it was with my best friend's girlfriend. You may think that you need Jack and the fact that he's fucking predictable, but I'm going to show you that what you really need is me and the passion that I can give you. By the end of the summer, you're gonna lose your virginity babe, and you're gonna fucking lose it to me."

He said all of this in such a serious tone that Rachel believed he meant every word. And, oh God, with the flower and the restaurant and the amazing feel of his hands on hers (not to mention the distracting movement of his thumb over her skin), he was off to a really good start. Still, she knew she had to hold out as long as she could.

"I'm dating Jack," she protested even as her breathing picked up so much that she was practically panting.

"Key word-dating. You're not married babe so your relationship could break up easily." He gave her a cocky smirk. "And it will; I guarantee it. And the instant you finally give in to me, I'll find out if you really do kill the first man you fuck."

Without taking his eyes from her, he lifted her hands, placing a kiss to each palm before releasing them and dropping them back to the table. Then he sat back and watched her as the waitress delivered their food. Rachel could feel the heat in her face as she squirmed in her seat trying to relieve the ache between her legs. She had never been so wet, not even during her heaviest makeout sessions with Finn, and Puck hadonly touched (kissed, _oh God_) her hands. But, oh, his words. They were so erotic (and crude-but that only made them so much more appealing because they were so Puck) and they stirred a fire in her blood. She was tempted to haul him out of here and go back to her house, but if she did that, she knew she wouldn't let him leave her bedroom until she was unable to move.

_Oh, crap, she was in for a difficult summer_ (and yes, this situation _totally _warranted the swear word).

A/N 2: The song that Puck sings is 'Mr. Brightside' by The Killers (I'm a big fan of them as you can probably tell since this is the second song by them to feature in this fic). 'Mr. Brightside' is the song that inspired this fic.


	10. Chapter 10

Spoilers: Only up to 'Sectionals' though stuff from the back 9 may pop in if I think it fits with my plot line.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot. Also, some of this is from Puck's viewpoint, and he's kind of an offensive guy, so I'd like to point out that his viewpoints don't always reflect mine. I also do not own 'I'm So Sick' or the song Rachel sings later.

A/N: I'd like to give a special thanks to everyone who reviewed last chapter, especially since it used a slightly different format. It was nice to have so many people review the chapter. I would like to reiterate to those of you who have reviewed that your encouragement means a lot to me. Also, thank you to everyone who's reading the story. As always, please read and review. I'd love to know what you think of the chapter's events and reviews are like an addiction. Thanks!

"You can try and avoid me babe, and I've allowed it for the past week because I knew you needed time, but I'm fucking done waiting. You can't run anymore. The Puckerone's fucking coming for you and you'll be fucking cumming soon."

Rachel lowered her phone. She so shouldn't have checked her voicemail, but when he'd called, she'd been too scared to answer. When he'd left the message, she hadn't been able to resist listening to it; she was entirely too curious about what he had to say. Now she wished she hadn't because as soon as she'd heard his voice, there had been a flood of wetness between her legs that left her aching and uncomfortable.

"You okay, Rach? You look a little flushed," Jack said with concern. "Is there something wrong with one of your dads?"

Rachel shook her head guiltily. "No, it was just a wrong number."

As Jack accepted that easily and launched back into his play-by-play of his most recent game (and she had been there, so she was very bored), her mind drifted back to Noah's words, both at the restaurant last week and on the voicemail today. She thought she should be scared, but she mostly just felt a thrill of anticipation. She couldn't wait to see what Noah had in store for her (and yes, she was aware of how ambivalent that made her sound).

ooooo

When the McKinley High baseball team won yet another game (they hadn't lost one yet), Rachel was very excited for them. She knew how much Puck liked to win and he had only gotten to win once previously that year with the football team. So, when they won this time, she did what she always did and launched herself at him as soon as he got close. She wasn't even thinking about his threats.

She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. "I'm so excited. You guys won again!"

Instead of tightening his arms around her waist like he usually did, he slid his hands under her butt and hoisted her up so that she wrapped her legs around his hips. She let out a gasp as she felt herself pressed directly against his erection. He lowered his lips to her ear.

"Do you feel what you fucking do to me babe? I'm so fucking hard right now that I could haul you behind the bleachers and fuck you," he stated in a low voice.

She shivered as his breath and words washed over her. When he bit down lightly on her earlobe, she moaned quietly and was very thankful she had left her hair down so that no one could see. Then he abruptly dropped her back down to her feet and stepped back.

"Thanks for the hug babe," he said with a naughty smirk.

_Oh, if that was how it was going to be, she could play too_. When Jack joined them just seconds later, she pulled him into a passionate kiss (well, at least on his part). The instant he closed his eyes, she looked past him to Noah who was watching them, anger glittering in his eyes, his fists clenched tightly.

_It was so on_ (and she knew he'd gotten the message).

ooooo

The day after the baseball game, also the first day of July, Rachel was hanging out at her house with nothing to do. When she heard the familiar sound of a car door shutting, she peaked out the front window and saw Puck there unloading all of his pool cleaning supplies. _Perfect_.

As she rushed upstairs to change, she realized this was an excellent time to torture him. She had taken the wrong approach at the game when she had kissed Jack. In doing that, she had been using him against Noah and that made her no better than Finn. She was still determined to stay with Jack; she wasn't going to give in to Noah, but she felt like he should feel every bit as hot and bothered as he made her. She couldn't use Jack against him though, because she was not like Finn (_she wasn't_). So, it was up to her personal feminine wiles to keep Puck on edge (and that was nerve-wrecking given his experience).

After she had changed into her sapphire blue string bikini, she pulled a large T-shirt over it, grabbed her sunscreen, I-Pod, battery-powered docking station, and script, and headed outside. The approach she had decided to take today was a classic, but it should be quite effective when employed against Puck.

Climbing onto the deck next to the pool, she grinned to herself. He was going to feel like he was in hell by the time she was done with him.

When she reached one of the three white loungers her dads kept next to the pool, she saw that Puck had already started. He had his back to her and was standing near the edge of the water skimming it with a net (and he was wearing his shirt, thank God, although it was sleeveless and gave her a nice view of his arms).

"Hi, Noah," she greeted casually, dropping her sunscreen on the lounger and setting the electronics on a side table.

He turned to face her with a smirk. "You just couldn't resist checking me out could you Berry?"

She rolled her eyes at him. "I'm actually going to review my lines and I thought I'd enjoy the sun while I do so."

Noticing that his eyes were fastened to her bare legs below the shirt, she grinned. Grasping the hem, she pulled it up and over her head. When she dropped the shirt on one of the other chairs, she saw that his eyes had moved to her stomach. Bending down, she picked up the sunscreen and started to apply it to her arms.

"So, how has your day been going? Had many other pools?" she asked, rubbing the sun block in.

He lifted his head to meet her eyes, and she saw that his hazel ones had turned to a deep green. The look was enough to make her want to gulp.

"My day just got a whole lot fucking better," he said roughly.

"Oh," she paused, unsure where to go from here (she rarely used her wiles; she usually applied her considerable brain power to solve her problems). "You should probably work on the pool; that is what Daddy's paying you for," she said dismissively, setting her right leg on the edge of the lounge to apply sun block to it before switching to her left leg.

He turned back to the pool to continue his work, but when she let out a hiss as she spread the sunscreen on her stomach (_it was cold!_), he turned around to look at her again. She went with it, smiling innocently at him.

"Do you want some music? I've got my I-Pod and docking station with me," she offered. She wanted him to be sexually on edge, not mentally bored.

"I wouldn't mind the music," he replied. "It won't distract you from your script though, will it babe?"

She shook her head and hooked it up, flipping to the list she had created especially for him (they hadn't gotten the chance to use it yet).

When she had finished with the sunscreen on her front, she relaxed on the lounger and pulled her script to her as 'I'm So Sick' from Flyleaf started up. While Noah worked, she absently sang along with the songs while she silently read her lines and used her free hand to make the required hand gestures to go with them. After fifteen minutes of companionable silence, Rachel glanced at Puck over the top of her script. He had taken off his shirt, and she felt her heartbeat pick up as she watched the muscles work in his back while he brushed down the sides of the pool. She knew that it was time to pull out her next move. Setting the script aside, she sat up and picked up the tube of sunscreen.

"Noah, I just remembered that I forgot to put sunscreen on my back. Could you please help me? I can't reach and I really don't want to get burnt," she pleaded. She made sure to apply her best panicky voice.

"Sure babe."

Dropping the brush on top of the rest of the supplies he'd finished with, he came over to where she was sitting (_holy crap, was that a nipple ring? How intriguing_). She handed the tube to him and he sat down on the lounger behind her. He brushed her hair over one shoulder and she heard him squirt the lotion so she braced against the cold. She was surprised when nothing landed on her; instead she felt nothing for a few seconds and then his hands rested on her shoulders. She smiled when she realized that he had warmed the sunscreen between his hands before touching her with it. Then they started to move and all thought fled.

He was rubbing the lotion into her shoulders and upper back with lingering circles. She felt herself going boneless and she closed her eyes. She was so relaxed under his touch that she jumped when he spoke.

"Lay down so I can get the rest of your back easier."

Tension coiled in her abdomen at the command, but she lay down on her stomach anyway. His lotion slicked hands slid from the tie of the bikini over her lower back to the edge of the bikini bottom. When his hands slid back up to further rub the sunscreen in, she shivered.

"Cold, babe?" he asked in a husky voice.

"No," she managed to croak out. She felt like her skin was on fire everywhere he had touched her.

She knew the sun block was rubbed in, but he kept running his hands over her and she couldn't bring herself to make him stop. She also couldn't see him, so when he pressed his lips to the side of her neck, it caught her off guard. She turned her head so that she could look at him while her breathing picked up.

"I don't have any more pools scheduled for today, so how about I hang out here for the rest of the afternoon?" he asked huskily, sliding his hands up her ribs to curve against the side of her breasts over the material (_if her torso wasn't pressed into the lounger, he'd be cupping them right now_, she realized with another shiver).

He licked along the shell of her ear, sending a rush of liquid between her legs as she moaned. She squeezed them together to ease the ache. She knew that all she had to do was say yes and he would take her inside and assuage the throbbing of her core. She also knew that it would feel wonderful. She was so very tempted to invite him in.

"Hey, Rachel! Are you back there?"

The sound of Jack's voice broke through the haze of lust that had descended over her under Puck's touch and she rolled to her back and shot straight up in her seat shoving him off the lounger. By the time Jack had come into sight, Noah was adding the chemicals to the pool and Rachel's breathing had calmed down so that she was able to smile normally at him. He sat down on the lounger next to hers and started talking to her about yesterday's game. She nodded and smiled politely through his story, but she was so bored. He had the same tendency to overanalyze the details of every game that Finn had. She itched to grab her script and go back over her lines, but she didn't want to be rude and she was already bordering on that with as often as her eyes kept sliding to Noah.

"I'm done here Berry," Noah announced a few minutes later. When he met her eyes, the smirk playing around his mouth showed he knew exactly how bored she was with Jack's conversation.

Grateful for the interruption, she stood up and moved nearer to him. "Thanks, Noah. You did an excellent job as usual."

"It was definitely my _pleasure_ babe."

With the way he raised an eyebrow, she knew he meant that as the double entendre it sounded like. She smiled at him sweetly before wrapping her hand around his bicep and leaning forward.

"Enjoy the rest of your afternoon," she said, running her fingers down his arm before turning to rejoin Jack.

When she heard him curse under his breath, she grinned. She knew she had succeeded in making him every bit as uncomfortable as she still was.

_If not for Jack's timely intervention, that plan would have backfired horribly (or was that wonderfully?)_.

ooooo

"Yay Rachel! I'm so glad you came!"

Brittany bounced over to Rachel where she was standing under a tree in the same park where Brittany had brought her so long ago. It was the Saturday after the 4th of July, and the town was hosting a huge gathering to celebrate. Rachel's friends had all decided to meet up for it, but Brittany was the first of them that she had seen, though she had spotted Jack playing baseball nearby with some other guys that she recognized (she avoided them because she didn't want him to pull her into the baseball stuff today). So Rachel, by herself because her dads were in DC on business (Daddy had a class, so Dad had decided to go with him and take in the sights), had taken up a spot under a maple near the concession stands that had been set up for the guests. She had been there for fifteen minutes and the fireworks weren't due to start for another two hours.

"Of course I came Brittany. Have you seen any of the others yet though?" she asked curiously, casting another glance around the crowd. Part of the reason she had staked out a spot near the food was because she figured most of them would stop by for something at some point.

Brittany bobbed her head. "They're all over there." She waved vaguely toward the lake. "We were beginning to worry that something had happened to you, so I'm so glad that you're here. They sent me to buy popsicles and drinks; come on, you can wait in line with me."

Not giving Rachel a choice in the matter, the blonde grabbed her wrist and hauled her to the end of the line at the concession stand.

Twenty minutes later (_that was one long line!_), Brittany led Rachel to their group of friends, their arms piled with simple twin pops and bottles of soda and water.

"Rachel! You finally showed up!" Mike yelled with a grin, coming over to relieve Brittany of some of her burden.

Rachel nodded, and tried to shift some of her bottles, but one fell off. Gasping, she started to squat to hopefully catch it, but a large hand caught it first. Puck stood up and took a couple more bottles from her and she gave him a grateful smile.

"So, Brittany roped you into helping," he observed with a grin.

She laughed. "Yeah, I was waiting near the concession stands hoping that someone would come up for something when she found me and didn't really give me a choice."

The four of them moved forward to join the others where they were sitting on blankets. After disbursing the fruit pops and drinks, Brittany and Mike sat down on their blanket and Puck plopped down on his. Rachel was unsure where to sit. Artie, Tina, and Matt were sitting together and Santana and Quinn were paired up. The only free spot was next to Puck, but she didn't know if she wanted to chance sitting next to him once the sun went down and the fireworks started up. He didn't give her a chance to protest though because he reached up, circled her wrist, and pulled her down. Of course she landed on his lap.

Elbowing him in the ribs, she moved off him so that she was sitting between him and Brittany.

"Must you always pull me into your lap?" she asked in exasperation.

He smirked at her and quietly accused, "You know you love it."

She blushed, but she couldn't argue. It would be a lie and they both knew that. Neither of them noticed Brittany, having overheard him, frowning at them.

While Puck leaned back to talk to Mike around her and Brittany, she unwrapped her grape twin pop. She knew this was another excellent chance to torment him and she wouldn't even have to do anything other than eat the popsicle just like she always would. Licking the frozen treat, she and Brittany started discussing the movies that were coming out soon and which ones they wanted to check out.

It didn't take long for her to realize that Puck kept losing his spot in his conversation with Mike and she tried not to smile. When she glanced over at him out of the corner of her eye, she saw that his eyes were glued to her mouth. Exactly what she needed to do hit her suddenly. Sucking the tip of the popsicle between her lips, she kept going until the whole frozen portion was in her mouth and then she quickly slid it back out. She did it all quickly enough that she never even missed a beat in her and Brittany's conversation.

"Yeah, I kind of want to see Eclipse, but I don't like the way all the other girls scream and twitter over the whole thing," she continued after releasing the popsicle.

"How the fuck did you do that?" Puck interrupted.

She glanced over at him and noticed that his eyes had gone green again. She was starting to think that his eyes changed to that color when he was particularly turned on. She gave him an innocent smile.

"How did I do what?"

He scowled. "You know what. How did you get that whole fucking popsicle into your mouth?"

"Oh, you mean like this?" She took the popsicle all the way in again and then pulled it back out.

"Hell, yes, that." He was staring at her mouth again, his eyes even greener than before.

She waved her hand nonchalantly through the air. "I don't have a gag reflex."

"Shit," he muttered under his breath, adjusting his jeans.

She just grinned at him and went back to talking to Brittany.

Half an hour before the fireworks were scheduled to start, Rachel got up to use one of the park restrooms. As she excused herself, Brittany hopped up and joined her.

"What is going on with you and Puck?" she questioned, elbowing Rachel lightly in the arm.

"There's nothing going on," Rachel denied, looking away to hide her blush.

Brittany raised an eyebrow. "You've not had sex with him, but there is definitely something there. The thing with the popsicle and the whole lap thing earlier. Plus, you were all reluctant to sit with him and if you were just friends that wouldn't have been a problem."

Rachel came to a stop and, glancing around, made sure no one they knew was paying any attention to them.

"He may have implied that he was going to break Jesse and I up. He may have also said something about us sleeping together before the summer ends," Rachel admitted. Brittany's eyes grew wide. "So, he's been hitting on me heavily, and I decided he needed to feel just as out of it. That's why the popsicle."

Brittany just stood there stunned for a moment before asking, "Do you want to sleep with him?"

Rachel sighed deeply. "More than you could ever know. I can't though because I know it would be just a onetime thing for him. So, I won't give in. I'm going to keep dating Jack."

"What about if he actually wanted to date you for real? More than just a one-night stand?" the blonde asked.

Rachel grinned mischievously. "I'd ditch Jack and have Noah under me before he knew what hit him."

Brittany nodded, eyes wide again. "Okay. Come on, if we don't want to miss any of the fireworks, we need to hit the restroom now."

Rachel followed her. It felt good to finally let someone else in on her situation with Noah.

ooooo

Puck was sitting on his blanket listening to everyone else talk. He couldn't take his mind off what Berry had done with that popsicle. _She didn't have a fucking gag reflex_. He couldn't believe his luck. Between her lung capacity and having _no fucking gag reflex_ (_he just couldn't wrap his head around it_), he knew she'd give one hell of a blow job. And he'd be the one to teach her. _Hell yes_ (he chose to ignore the mental voice that reminded him she could have blown someone before and still be a virgin).

He adjusted his jeans again (he wished he'd worn looser pants), and considered his plans. When she finally gave in to him (_and he knew she fucking would_), the blow job she'd give him would feel fucking awesome, no doubt about it (and he'd return the favor-he couldn't wait to find out how she tasted-he guessed sweet), but he was really wound up over the thought of when he would sink balls deep into her pussy. He knew she'd be tight; she was a virgin, so he'd be gentle with her the first time (_he didn't fucking want to hurt her_), but after that, he was going to fuck her extensive vocabulary right out of her. By the time he was done with her, the only words she'd know would be _oh, God, Noah, please, fuck, me_, and _harder_.

He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't notice Brittany had come back until she sat back down next to Mike. He frowned when he realized Berry hadn't come back with her (his blanket felt fucking _empty_ without her).

"Where's Berry?" he asked Brittany.

"Jack caught her so she's talking to him," Brittany answered, watching his face closely (though Puck didn't notice that).

He scowled. "So, what, she's ditching us for him?"

Brittany was quiet for a moment and that was so odd for her (she talked almost as much as Berry) that it got Puck's attention. When he looked at her, he didn't like the way she was staring at him.

"What?"

She smiled knowingly. "You like her, don't you? You honest to God like her."

Puck frowned. "She's my friend, nothing more." _Liar._

"I know that you're trying to break her and Jack up and that you're trying to have sex with her," she accused him.

Puck gaped. _How the hell did she know that?_

Brittany rolled her eyes at him. "She's my best friend. We talk," she answered his unasked question. "Anyway, I would normally chop your balls off for what you're doing because it's Rachel, but now that I know you actually like her, I'm going to help you. Although if you do pull a screw and ditch, I will be forced to carry through on all earlier threats," she said in a very business-like tone.

"Why in the hell would you help me after all the times you've told me to stay away from her?" Puck was slightly confused by Brittany's sudden change of opinion.

"I told you, I can tell that you like her. And she likes you too," she stated simply.

With Brittany on his side, he knew it would only be a matter of time before Berry ditched the boring boyfriend.

_Fuck yeah_.

ooooo

Rachel kissed Jack on the cheek before leaving him with his friends and rejoining hers. _The fireworks should start anytime now_, she realized as she dropped down into her spot between Brittany and Noah.

"Not watching the fireworks with the boyfriend?" Puck asked her in that derisive tone he always used when he talked about Jack.

She frowned. "He's here with his friends and I'm with mine. It's perfectly okay to spend time apart."

"If you were with me, no fucking way would we watch the fireworks separately. What kind of boyfriend gives up the chance to have you with him in the dark?" he questioned. "But I'm glad he did, because now I'll have you in the dark," he added roughly, lowering his voice.

She felt the heat rush over her skin. As the first golden firework exploded overhead, she had a feeling it would take all of her self-restraint not to fall to him tonight.

An hour and a half later while several fireworks exploded all at once as the finale to the show, she was grateful that it was ending because she was positively exhausted. She had woken up early that morning thanks to a highly erotic dream about Noah, so she had grown very tired sitting there in the dark. Her situation wasn't helped any by the fact that Noah had twined their fingers together shortly into the fireworks. And when he had noticed that she was fighting sleep, he had tugged her closer so that she could rest her head on his shoulder. The electricity was still there between them, but right now, his presence was more comforting than anything. He hadn't taken advantage of the situation once he noticed how out of it she was.

She must have drifted off, because she couldn't remember the fireworks ending. The next thing she knew, Puck was pulling on her hand.

"Time to get up babe. Show's over," he said quietly.

She yawned widely, covering her mouth with her free hand. "'Kay."

As he stood up, she gazed absently at her other friends who were talking and laughing while they gathered their blankets and got ready to leave. Puck pulled her to her feet. While he folded up their blanket, she stretched her arms over her head in an effort to wake up enough to drive home.

"Did you fall asleep Rachel?" Brittany asked with a small giggle.

Rachel gave her a wry grin that quickly turned into another yawn. "Yeah. I didn't sleep so well last night," she explained when she had removed her hand from her mouth.

"Are you going to be okay driving home?" Quinn wondered with concern.

Rachel nodded, covering up another yawn. "I'll be fine."

Santana shook her head. "It doesn't look like it."

Tina agreed. "I don't think you should drive with as tired as you are right now."

"I'll be fine guys, really," she tried to reassure them even as her eyelids drooped.

"I think someone should give you a ride home," Mike declared.

"My dad should be in the parking lot. I'm sure we could take you," Artie offered.

"That's a very sweet offer, Artie, but..."

"Puck will take her. He lives closest to her," Brittany cut in.

Matt frowned. "I think I actually live closes..." He broke off when Brittany elbowed him.

"Come on Berry. I'll take you home. Britt, will you bring her out to pick up her car tomorrow?" Puck inquired.

When Brittany nodded, he said, "Great. I'll see you guys later; the next game is Friday if you want to come."

Rachel waved at her friends as Puck twined their fingers together again and towed her after him. She caught up to walk next to him and rested her head tiredly on his arm.

"I had fun tonight Noah. I like having friends," she stated, drowsiness clear in her voice as they crossed the parking area.

She smiled sleepily when he dropped a kiss on top of her head.

Neither noticed Jack watching them as he climbed into his car nearby.

ooooo

"Hey, Puck."

Two weeks after the 4th of July celebration, Puck was alone in the locker room after practice when Jack came back in and got his attention. Puck was in a crappy mood; except for games, he hadn't seen Berry since he dropped her off at her house that night. She'd been so tired and he didn't think he'd ever seen her so out of it. She had fallen asleep in the truck on the drive and when he'd gotten to her house, he had just watched her sleep for several minutes before he realized what a fuckin' pussy move that was and woken her up. She had given him a sleepy smile that lit something uncomfortable in his chest before heading inside. Puck had waited until the light in her bedroom had come on before he pulled out of the driveway (_what? He just didn't want Brittany blaming him if she broke her fucking neck going up the stairs_). Between her practices for her play and his baseball practices and pool cleaning business (which wasn't even half as awesome now that he wasn't sleeping with the cougars), they hadn't fuckin' seen each other alone since then even if they had talked on the phone (but it just wasn't the same). With his current mood, he wasn't fucking up to dealing with Jack's shit.

"What is it Jack?" he asked in annoyance.

"I just realized that I never thanked you for introducing me to Rachel. Hell, we owe our entire relationship to you so the least I can do is say thank you. So, thanks," Jack said gratefully.

Puck scowled. "Whatever dude."

_Like he needed the reminder that it was his fault Berry was dating someone else_. After he had shoved his stuff into his bag, he slammed his locker door shut and left the room. When Jack followed him, he nearly growled at the guy to back off.

"Dude, did you know that Rachel does this great thing with her tongue? She never shuts up, but all that talking is definitely worth something given how strong her tongue is," he rambled.

Puck clenched his fists to keep from hitting the douche and turned to face him. When he got a good look at the way Jack was glaring at him, Puck nearly laughed. He knew this move; this was the possessive 'she's my girlfriend so keep your hands off' boyfriend move. He'd been on the receiving end of it before (_obviously_), but this time was slightly different. Usually when he'd gotten this move in the past, he wasn't even interested in the girl; other guys were just fuckin' intimidated by his badass rep. But this time he knew that Jack should be worried; he already had Berry halfway into his bed and she was also his best friend, so he wasn't fucking going anywhere. He crossed his arms over his chest.

"You got a point Kessinger?"

"Just thought I'd remind you that Rachel is my girlfriend and you should stay away from her," the blonde boy warned him, crossing his own arms over his chest.

Puck scowled at him. "Not going to fucking happen. She was my friend long before she was your girlfriend, and she won't be yours for much longer."

"Is that a threat, dude?"

Puck gave him a feral grin. "It's a guarantee. Don't get too fuckin' comfortable because she's my girl; she has been for two months."

When Puck climbed into his truck and pulled out of the parking lot, he waved mockingly at Jack. He hadn't been lying; Berry had been his from the moment she had sat in his fucking lap when she was singing to Finn and it was fucking time he claimed her.

ooooo

Rachel was standing with Jack in Mike's house a couple of days later. He had his arm thrown around her, and it was starting to get on her nerves. The baseball team had won again (that made 10 games with no losses), and to celebrate, Mike had called for a party at his house (his parents were out of town for their anniversary). Most of the team (yes, including Finn-it was a mass invitation) and their dates, plus Santana, Tina, Artie, and Quinn, who Britt and Rachel had called, had shown up. Anyway, back to her current annoyance with her boyfriend. He hadn't let her out of his sight once all night. He had kept physical contact with her practically the whole time and he kept kissing her in an almost punishing manner that she really didn't like. Things were only getting worse with every beer he finished too (Mike had gotten hold of a keg somehow, but Rachel was sticking to her normal, non-alcoholic sprite). Puck had also stuck near her all night, rarely taking his eyes off her (it didn't slip her notice that he hadn't touched the alcohol either, drinking bottled water instead).

Rachel was talking to the girls and wishing that Jack would leave her alone and go find his own friends (he really couldn't be having fun listening to them discuss their upcoming shopping trip to Dayton) when Mike came over and whispered something in Brittany's ear that made her grin. She climbed on top of the sturdy hardwood coffee table and got everyone's attention.

"Mike just had an excellent idea. We're going to play 7 Minutes in Heaven. We'll start in ten minutes so if any of you girls out there want the chance to make out with one of the guys here, I'll need your keys since that's how they're gonna draw," she announced before climbing down off the coffee table.

She rejoined their group. "Are you guys going to join in?"

Tina shook her head. "I don't think I'd be comfortable with it since I'm dating Artie."

Brittany nodded. "I can understand that."

"It's okay Tina; we'll make out later," Artie declared, rolling up to them and making Tina laugh as she dropped into his lap.

While Brittany collected the girls' keys, Santana sidled up to Rachel and threw an arm around her waist.

"So, Rach, are you gonna play?"

"No, she's not. We're together in case you've forgotten; if she wants to make out with someone, it'll be me," Jack answered for her.

When she turned to frown at him, she missed Santana slipping her keys out of her pocket (she'd left her purse at home) and dropping them in the bowl Brittany was holding.

"We may be dating, but you can't just decide what I'm allowed to do. If I want to play the game, then I will. I'm not going to, because it just so happens that I don't want to risk being matched up to Finn, but that's not the point," she lectured him. _How dare he try to make her decisions for her!_

Rachel and Jack followed the group to the mostly empty closet under the stairs that Mike and Brittany had chosen for the game. She was actually enjoying herself watching the pairs that went in nervously only to come out completely disheveled and smiling. When Brittany called Puck's name to pull a girl's keys from the bowl though, Rachel decided it was time to go get another sprite (_that would take at least seven minutes right?_) because she really didn't want to stand there and watch some other girl go into the closet with him and come out with her shirt on inside out seven minutes later. She had only gotten about two steps away when Puck's voice stopped her in her tracks.

"Hey, Berry, guess who's got your keys."

Rachel turned around slowly and as if she were moving in a dream, pushed through the crowd to him. Oh, God, his eyes had already turned that gorgeous green and those were her keys dangling from his fingers, clearly identifiable by the sparkly gold star key chain that Daddy had bought her when she got her car.

"But how? I didn't put my keys in the..." she trailed off as suspicion hit her and she swung her gaze in Santana's direction. "You stole my keys?"

Santana grinned unrepentantly. "Yep. You need some normal teenage fun Rach. So, go into that closet and have it."

"Rachel's not going to do that," Jack broke in before grabbing Rachel's wrist. "You're my girlfriend, so no way in hell are you going into that closet with Puck."

Fed up with his barbaric behavior, Rachel scowled at him. "That's not your decision to make." Yanking her wrist from his grasp, she preceded Puck into the closet (and so missed the triumphant smirk he sent in Jack's direction).

When the door had closed behind him, she pressed herself as far away from him in the dark as she could. She was merely proving a point to Jack; she had no intention of actually making out with Noah.

"You know Jack tried to threaten me to stay away from you?" he asked casually, stepping toward her.

She pushed herself further back into the wall. "He did?"

"Yep. I told him that there was no way in hell I was backing off; that's why he hasn't let you out of his sight all night," he explained casually, reaching her and circling her waist with his hands.

Her breathing picked up. "Oh; I thought it was just all the beer he's had."

"No, it's because he's fucking worried," he said, brushing her hair aside and planting a kiss on her earlobe. "And he fucking should be."

He picked her up and moved them so that he was against the wall. Dropping a kiss on the side of her neck, he slid down onto the floor and pulled her with him. He situated her so that she was straddling his lap. She let out a gasp as he pressed against her. Wetness gushed between her legs and she curled her hands over his shoulders. When he kissed her jaw, she moaned.

"We can't do this Noah," she breathed out even as she rocked her hips against him to relieve the ache.

"You know this is right; just give in to it babe," he whispered, pressing a kiss to the other side of her jaw.

When he kissed the tip of her nose, she realized that he was giving her the control; he wasn't going to kiss her properly until she was willing to accept everything else that would come with it. She circled her hips over his erection again and he groaned.

"I could fuck you right now. All I'd have to do is unzip my jeans, push your panties aside, and fucking slide into you. You're already fucking dripping; you've soaked my jeans babe," he whispered against her ear before tugging on her earlobe with his teeth.

Those words were more than she could take; she was so tired of fighting what she wanted so badly. Moving her hands from his shoulders, she framed his face, moved his head, and lowered her lips to his.

His lips were so soft and yet so firm; he felt so good. His hands came up to tangle in her hair and he pulled slightly so that she tilted her head. When his tongue slid against her lips, she automatically opened to give him access to her mouth. As his tongue slid against hers, she came out of her stunned state and fought for control of the kiss while she fisted one hand in his mohawk and slipped her other under his shirt. Running her hand up over his hard abs and chest, she felt a thrill when she reached his fascinating nipple ring and gave it a light tug between her thumb and index finger.

Letting out a hiss, Puck tore his mouth from hers. "So that's how it's going to fucking be?" He bit down on her collarbone so that she moaned. "You fucking asked for it babe."

He pulled one hand from her hair and thrust it under her shirt. When he pushed the cup of her bra down and rolled her nipple between his fingers, she gasped and arched into his hand. She felt him smirk against her neck. When he turned his attention to the other nipple and bit down and sucked on her pulse point, she started undulating against his cock (_did she actually just think that? she wondered vaguely_).

"Shit, babe, you've got to stop that. I'm gonna fucking cum in my pants if you don't," he groaned out, moving both hands to hold her hips still.

"Maybe I want to make you cum," she moaned into his ear, tugging on his nipple ring again.

"Babe, you can't say things like that if you don't mean them," he got out between gasps for air. "It's just fucking mean."

To show him just how serious she was, she let go of his mohawk and lowered her hand to massage him through his jeans, still moving her hips against him. Noah dropped his head back against the wall with a thud and angled her hips so that he pressed against her clit with every pass. Then he pressed down to help guide her movements. When he desperately locked his lips to hers several moments later as his body shuddered, she felt a sense of self-satisfaction that she'd never felt with Finn.

"Shit Rach, you're fucking amazing," he panted out when his body had finally stilled. She smiled at him in the dark at the sound of her first name (though he probably couldn't see it) and wrapped her arms around his neck so that her fingers could play with the base of his mohawk. "You're also still fucking turned on, and I'm not letting you go before I fucking take care of you."

Since his hands were still on her hips, it was easy for him so shift her so that they were tilted up. While he kissed along the side of her neck, he slid his right hand under her skirt and pressed his fingers against her panties. When he started rubbing the already agitated nub of nerves through the cloth, she began humming in pleasure. She could feel the tension in her abdomen building.

"Noah," she gasped out, grabbing the back of his head and pulling his mouth to hers.

He opened immediately so she could twine their tongues together. When the tension in her stomach snapped, he swallowed her cry. It was the most wonderful thing she'd ever felt; masturbation definitely couldn't compare. While she came down from her high, he pulled back slightly to rest his forehead against hers.

"Are you okay babe?" he asked quietly, cupping her chin and rubbing his thumb across her cheek.

She had to smile at that; it was just so sweet of him to ask. She nodded against his forehead.

"I'm fine Noah; better than fine actually. That was just...just...wonderful," she managed to get out (she was still recovering her breath).

"Good. The next time I cum though, I _will_ be in you," he said in a gruff voice that instantly turned her on all over again. "Babe?" he asked hesitantly.

"Yes, Noah?"

"Are you on the pill?"

The question surprised her. "Yes, I am. I have been for a few months now."

"Good. I'm going to get tested and when I come back clean, I'm going to fuck you bareback. You'll feel every fucking inch of me. Now would be a good time to break up with Kessinger," he suggested forcefully.

Before Rachel could respond to that, someone knocked on the door and Brittany yelled, "Your time's up guys. We're opening the door."

Rachel climbed off his lap and immediately began straightening her clothes. She didn't want to advertise to everybody what they had done if she could help it. Puck stood up more slowly and pulled his shirt back down. They were ready when the door swung open. Puck strolled out first, looking rather proud of himself. She followed more slowly and she had barely gotten out when Brittany and Santana pulled her aside.

"You look thoroughly made out with," Brittany said with a grin.

Rachel blushed. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"You have a hickey," Santana pointed out, tapping Rachel's pulse point and causing her to wince in discomfort.

_So much for no one knowing what had happened_.

ooooo

Shortly after exiting the closet, Rachel locked herself in one of the bedrooms and pulled her I-Pod out of her front pocket. Sticking the ear buds in, she found the song that she needed to sing. She knew that she had to make a choice between the safety Jack offered and the excitement Puck could give her, and she knew the perfect song to help her make her choice (or rather find the courage to take the leap for what she already knew she wanted).

_Comparisons are easily done  
Once you've had a taste of perfection  
Like an apple hanging from a tree  
I picked the ripest one  
I still got the seed  
_  
Her kiss with Puck really had been perfection.

_You said move on  
Where do I go  
I guess second best  
Is all I will know_

Jack would always be second best, even if he was safe.

_Cause when I'm with him  
I am thinking of you  
Thinking of you  
What you would do if  
You were the one  
Who was spending the night  
Oh I wish that I  
Was looking into your eyes_

She had thought of Puck every time Jack had touched her.

_You're like an Indian summer  
In the middle of winter  
Like a hard candy  
With a surprise center  
How do I get better  
Once I've had the best  
You said there's  
Tons of fish in the water  
So the waters I will test  
_  
Puck was so tough, but she knew he had a heart of gold; he'd shown it to her repeatedly.

_He kissed my lips  
I taste your mouth  
He pulled me in  
I was disgusted with myself_

She couldn't kiss Jack without wanting Puck and that was just wrong.

_Cause when I'm with him  
I am thinking of you  
Thinking of you  
What you would do if  
You were the one  
Who was spending the night  
Oh I wish that I  
Was looking into..._

You're the best  
And yes I do regret  
How I could let myself  
Let you go  
Now the lesson's learned  
I touched it I was burned  
Oh I think you should know

Would she regret it if she let Puck go now?

_Cause when I'm with him  
I am thinking of you  
Thinking of you  
What you would do if  
You were the one  
Who was spending the night  
Oh I wish that I  
Was looking into your eyes  
Looking into your eyes  
Looking into your eyes  
Oh won't you walk through  
And bust in the door  
And take me away  
Oh no more mistakes  
Cause in your eyes I'd like to stay... _

Perhaps the final line said it all. Her decision made, Rachel removed her headphones, tucked her I-Pod back into her pocket, and left the room to find Jack.

ooooo

"Look, Jack, we need to talk," Rachel said later that night while they were parked outside of his house.

She had driven them to the party because she wanted to make sure she had a way home if he drank and now she was glad she had; he was very drunk. According to Santana, during the fifteen minutes she was in the closet with Puck (apparently Brittany had gotten conveniently distracted and forgot to let them out on time), Jack had downed a good four cups of beer. She was convinced he was trying to drink away the thought of Rachel in the closet with Puck (and Rachel privately agreed with her). When Rachel had decided to head home after her song interlude, he had argued with her before finally giving in. She knew this may not be the best state to break up with him in, but she didn't want to keep stringing him along.

"You fucked Puck in that closet tonight," he accused her bitterly. "How's that for fucking talking?"

Rachel sighed. "I really didn't; I'm still a virgin. But, you're right, there is something between Puck and I," she admitted. "I don't want to hurt you, so I can't keep seeing you."

"You let him give you a fucking hickey. You're a fucking bitch," he slurred, unbuckling his seat belt. "I put up with all your fucking talking and I didn't get a thing for it."

Rachel could feel the tears stinging her eyes. She had known this wouldn't be easy; she had basically cheated on him even if she hadn't actually had sex. She was every bit as bad as Finn.

"I'm so sorry," she apologized quietly, nearly choking on the lump in her throat.

"Oh, the slut's sorry," he repeated sarcastically. When he turned to face her, she saw that his eyes were glassy and unfocused. A sneer twisted his normally handsome features. "Well, that just fucking makes up for you fucking Puck. What the fuck Rachel? You're fucking crying? You're not allowed to fucking cry after what you did. I am so fucking pissed at you, you fucking bitch."

Rachel felt a shiver of fear run down her spine. This drunken, foul-mouthed boy wasn't the same person that she knew and he scared her.

"Get out of my car Jack. You need to go in and sleep off the beer before you do something you'll regret later," she ordered gently, wiping the tears from her cheeks.

"Like you'll fucking regret ruining our relationship later? Oh, no, wait, you were completely sober when you fucked Puckerman," he ranted.

She pleaded with him. "Please, Jack, just go inside." _She really wanted him out of her car_.

"Don't you fucking tell me what to do you fucking whore!" he screamed at her.

She didn't see it coming and for minutes after she didn't even realize what had happened. She just knew that one second he was yelling at her and the next she felt like her right cheekbone had shattered and she was crying in pain. Then the passenger door slammed and Jack stalked to his house.

_What had just happened?_ she wondered dazedly, cupping a hand over her cheek.

A/N 2: To anyone who likes Jack and feels that he was out of character in the last segment, please remember that he was very drunk and very jealous of Puck (and had been since the 4th of July picnic). Although, that is _definitely_ not an excuse for his behavior, merely an explanation. Also, the song sung by Rachel is 'Thinking of You' by Katy Perry.


	11. Chapter 11

Spoilers: Only up to 'Sectionals' though stuff from the back 9 may pop in if I think it fits with my plot line.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot. Also, some of this is from Puck's viewpoint, and he's kind of an offensive guy, so I'd like to point out that his viewpoints don't always reflect mine.

A/N: Wow, so apparently to really get the reviews I need to include smut and drama. I was so surprised (and excited) by the sheer numbers of reviews that I received last chapter. I would like to reiterate to those of you who have reviewed that your encouragement means a lot to me, especially heading into the smuttier portions of the story, because these scenes are the most detailed ones I've ever written (my previous experience with love scenes consists solely of the kisses in Treading Water). Also, thank you to everyone who's reading the story. My three stories together topped 50000 hits and 16000 visitors yesterday, so that was exciting. As always, please read and review. I'd love to know what you think of the chapter and reviews are like an addiction. Thanks!

Rachel headed straight upstairs when she got home that night. The first thing she did was look in the mirror. Her cheek had already swollen and turned purple. He really had hit her; she couldn't believe it. She had thought for sure that he was the safe choice (even if she hadn't actually chose him) and he had hit her. The logical part of her knew that it wasn't her fault; nobody deserved to be hit. The more emotional part of her felt like this was her deserved punishment for what she had done. She had cheated on him at a party in front of all of his friends.

_She was a horrible person; she was Finn._

No wonder he had been angry at her and she had hit Finn for what he had done, so how was this any different? It was merely karma coming back around to bite her. She had just gotten hit considerably worse than she had hit Finn. She was really glad that her dads were already asleep when she ran downstairs and dropped some ice into a plastic baggy. She wouldn't want to have to explain this. Holding the ice against her cheek, she went back upstairs.

As she looked back on her night and the time she had spent in the closet with Noah, she knew that she wouldn't take it back even given the resulting fight with Jack. Their whole closet interlude had been so hot, but also so very sweet. She knew that he truly cared about her beyond just sex; he was her best friend right alongside Brittany. He may not have the best track record, but she refused to believe that he would use her. That was why she would suffer the pain in her cheek silently. She wouldn't back down on her decision to be with Noah.

Still, she always slept on her right side so she knew she was in for a horrible night.

ooooo

_Tonight had been the best night he could remember in a very long time_, Puck mused as he lay in bed after the party trying to fall asleep. Berry had finally given into him. Getting her off had been fucking hot and he couldn't wait to do it again. And when she had told him that she wanted him to cum and then actually rubbed him through his jeans; hell, was it any surprise that he had finished in record time? He'd have to be extra careful when he finally fucked her because if she had been able to do that to him without ever touching his skin, he knew he would be in fucking trouble when her heat surrounded him. Maybe he should use that condom anyway just so he wouldn't embarrass himself; _fuck, what was he thinking?_ Who would use a fucking condom when the girl would let him go bareback (_yes, he knew she hadn't actually agreed to that yet, but he knew she fucking would as soon as she had the test results in her hands_).

That was actually what he had planned for first thing when he woke up tomorrow. He only had one pool scheduled for three that afternoon and no baseball practice, so he was setting his alarm for noon to go in for the testing. He knew that it would take a week or two to get his results back (he had been tested before) which meant that he'd have to postpone having sex with Berry for that long. Sure, he could just wear a condom, but he knew that she'd feel better if she could see that he was clean (and no way was he risking her fucking health if he had something and didn't know it because condoms could break). Plus if they could go without the condom, her first time would be more enjoyable (_see? It wasn't all about him_). Until then, they'd just have to experiment in other ways (and he couldn't fucking test her non-existent gag reflex until he got his test results back either-_shit, he was setting the alarm for eight_).

As he rolled over and changed the wake up time on his alarm, Puck really hoped that she broke it off with Kessinger soon. He wanted to be able to take her out in public and claim her (_fuck, she'd kill him if she ever knew he'd thought that_) for all to see. He wanted to let everyone know that she was his girl and they needed to keep their fucking hands off her. Sometimes, he felt uncomfortable when he thought like that; he'd rarely ever dated and when he had, he'd never felt so fucking much for the girl (Quinn may have been the exception, but he also knew that his feelings for her were tied to the baby-he momentarily wondered how she was doing with her adoptive parents). But then he'd remember what it felt like every time he had to watch her kiss her boyfriend and knew that he couldn't fucking deal with that for much longer.

Puck isn't as stupid as everyone always thinks he is, so sometimes he worried about what would happen when Berry found out why he'd first started talking to her. He knew that she'd be pissed if she ever found out that he had asked her out the first time as part of a deal with the glee club to relax her. He also knew it would be even worse if she learned that Kurt had asked him to sleep with her as part of the plan. He had thought about telling her the truth, but he didn't want to piss her off if he didn't have to. He didn't know how she would ever find out about the mission the club had given him and besides, he had stuck around long after Regionals had ended. If the truth ever did come out, he would just point that out to her and he was sure she'd understand.

As he rolled onto his back, Puck's mind drifted back to the closet. It had been so fucking hot that he couldn't stop thinking about it. The way she had moaned into his ear, the feel of her wetness grinding against him, the way her body had shuddered in his arms as she came apart under his fingers. With a groan, he grasped his cock firmly in his hand and began to stroke. If he was ever going to get to sleep tonight, he had to get the tension out. Several minutes later, he spilled into the tissue he'd grabbed from his night stand at the same time that her name spilled from his lips. After tossing the tissue in the nearby wastebasket (there for exactly this), he drifted off with a smile, thoughts of Berry, asleep with her head on his shoulder, in his mind.

ooooo

When Rachel's alarm started the next day, she reached over and shut it off before rolling over. When she hit her right side, her cheek rubbing the pillow, she gasped in pain and turned over onto her back. She was so exhausted; it had been a rough night just as she had predicted it would be. She always slept on her right side, so at least a dozen times the previous night, she had woken up in pain because she had rolled over. She was so exhausted that she let herself fall back asleep instead of getting up to exercise as she normally would.

When one of her dads knocked on her door later, she woke with a start and called out that she was up. She didn't want either of them to see the bruise on her cheek and since it was Saturday, they would be home today. Glad she had locked her door, so they couldn't just walk in and surprise her, she scrambled into the shower. She tried to avoid placing the right side of her face under the spray because even that pressure hurt, and she was mostly successful in this endeavor (she did have to cave once so she could wash her face).

She hopped out of the shower and dried off quickly. The water had gone a long way toward energizing her. She stepped in front of the mirror and pulled out her makeup bag. She was very glad that she still had the special bruise concealer she had bought when Finn kept hitting her during practice. She had gotten quite good at hiding bruises then, so she wasn't too worried that she'd have any problems hiding this one even if it was considerably darker and larger than any of the bruises Finn had given her. Her current bruise had spread and darkened so that nearly her entire cheek was a dark purplish-blue that bordered disturbingly on black. Sighing, she started the extensive process of covering it up.

Half an hour later, as she went downstairs to join her dads for breakfast, she was relatively proud of how she looked. She had on her normal skirt/blouse combo and she had pulled her damp hair up in a butterfly clip. Most of her work had gone into her makeup though, and between the bruise concealer, foundation, powder, and blush that she had applied, she knew that no one would ever know the bruise was there. It was a good thing she was such an excellent actress though, because she wanted to wince every time she moved the cheek to smile (she imagined that would extend to talking too); however, she had more restraint than that.

She and her fathers were discussing her play practice for later today when the doorbell rang. Daddy excused himself to answer it and Rachel felt her heartbeat pick up at the thought that maybe Puck had come over, but it was not to be.

"Rachel, dear, your boyfriend is here!" Daddy called for her.

Fear leaped into her stomach as she realized her visitor was Jack (she hadn't told her dads that they'd broken up yet). Getting up from the table, she dragged her feet on her way into the foyer. When she reached them, Daddy smiled and headed back to the kitchen.

"Jack, why are you here?" she asked cautiously.

"I wanted to apologize for last night. I remember hitting you and I can't believe I did that. I was just so drunk and so angry that you were breaking up with me for Puck of all people. I know he's one of your friends, but you can't trust him. He's just going to screw you and walk away," he stated confidently.

Rachel was so tired of people saying that. Finn had said nearly the same thing before they broke up when she and Noah had landed the ballad. It was as if no one trusted her to make her own decisions with her relationships (of course, it's not like she had done so well yet; of her two serious boyfriends, one had cheated on her and the other had hit her). Still, she knew that Puck was different; they were best friends before they ever moved into a physical relationship (she didn't count the week they had dated in the fall because they had started fresh before Regionals).

She crossed her arms over her chest. "You don't know anything about Puck but his reputation. I know him beyond that. I also know that if I can't trust him, then I can't trust anyone."

"Rachel I seriously think you should reconsider us," Jack pleaded, taking several steps toward her.

She hastily backed up several steps in panic, covering her right cheek with her hand. He stopped abruptly.

"I don't know why you're acting so scared. I didn't hit you hard; there's not even a bruise," he said in an annoyed voice.

"I...I think you should go," she stammered out. "Our relationship is over Jack."

He looked so furious that she shrank back against the stairs, terrified that he was going to hit her again. When he simply turned and left the house, she felt the relief flow through her (though the fear didn't completely disappear). They were officially done and she could move on with Puck.

ooooo

Puck was on his way to clean Mrs. Lancaster's pool that afternoon when he decided to call Berry. He'd already gotten his testing done that morning and they had given him a one week estimate for the results. He wanted to let her know that he'd gone through with it like he'd said he would. He also wanted to see if she'd broken up with the douche yet (and if she had, he wanted to take her out tonight).

He listened to the phone ring three times before Berry picked up.

"Hi Noah," she panted into the phone.

She was breathing heavily and he wondered what she'd been doing.

"Hey, babe, did I catch you fingering yourself to thoughts of me?" He just couldn't resist the question. He grinned when she let out a laugh.

"No, Noah. I'm actually at practice right now; the play opens in a week you know," she reminded him.

"Guess what else opens in a week," he asked (he knew she'd think he was being cheesy; he could just see her rolling her eyes).

"What?"

"You babe. I got tested this morning and they told me they should get the results in a week. When I come back clean..." he trailed off and left the words hanging in the air between them.

"I so can't talk about this right now Noah," she responded.

She sounded flustered and he could picture her red face and the way she was probably squirming over his words. He laughed at the mental picture.

"I get it babe. I actually called to ask you something else. Did you break up with Kessinger yet?" he questioned seriously. He prayed the answer to that question was yes.

There was a long pause while she was silent and he worried that maybe she was going to say that she had decided to choose Jack over him (not that he would fucking stop going after her even if she had). Finally, just as he was starting to plot a new plan of attack, she answered him.

"I did. We spoke both last night and this morning and we're definitely done."

There was something weird in her voice and it set his Berry radar off. He knew that she was hiding something from him.

"Are you okay Berry? You sound weird. Did something go wrong when you broke up with him?"

She rushed to answer him. "No, no. Everything's fine. Listen, I have to get back to practice."

"Berry, wait," he hurried to get her attention before she hung up. "Since you're single again, do you want to go out with me tonight?"

"I'd love to Noah. Practice ends at six," she said softly.

"I'll pick you up at eight. Bye babe."

"Bye Noah."

When the line went dead as she hung up and he pulled into Mrs. Lancaster's driveway, he still felt like something was fucking off with Berry. She was keeping something from him, and he had a feeling it was something very bad.

ooooo

Rachel prepared for her date carefully that night. She was really glad he had decided to pick her up at eight because by the time she got home it was already 6:15. She had enough time to grab a quick shower (practice always left her feeling disgusting and sweaty) and reapply her makeup carefully to cover the bruise. After blow drying her hair, she used her larger curling iron to form loose waves that fell down around her shoulders. When she was going through her closet trying to decide on what she wanted to wear, she spotted a dress that Santana had talked her into buying during one of their group mall trips. She hadn't worn it yet because she hadn't had a reason to (which made her realize that she really should have broken up with Jack before now if she didn't think their dates had been a reason to wear this dress), but she thought it would be a perfect choice for tonight.

After she slipped it on and caught sight of herself in the mirror, she decided that she'd have to thank Santana for convincing her to buy it. It was a dark forest green velvet jersey dress with a skirt that flowed to just above her knees. The bodice had a sweetheart neckline that actually twisted in the center giving it a bit of a design and instead of sleeves, it had wide straps. The dress fit her perfectly, skimming over her curves in just the right way. It was also casual enough for anything Noah had planned and classy enough for the nicest restaurant in town. When she slipped her feet into the strappy silver heels that Quinn had insisted she buy to go with the dress, she felt like she was gorgeous. Grabbing the small silver purse that Brittany had picked out for it (she swore her friends were going to bleed her funds dry with their fashion advice), she headed downstairs to wait for him to arrive. It was five until eight, but she knew that Puck probably wouldn't show up until well after eight (he had never been on time for anything except glee in all the time she'd known him).

When she walked into the living room, Dad let out a whistle and Daddy smiled at her.

"Do you have a hot date tonight sweetie? Where is Jack taking you?" Daddy asked curiously.

She blushed. "Um, I actually broke up with Jack last night; that's why he came over this morning-he wanted me to take him back. I've actually got a date with Noah."

"That thug with the mohawk?!" Dad burst out, leaping to his feet. "Nuh-uh. You are not going on a date with him."

"Dad, you don't even know him," Rachel protested, fisting her hands on her hips.

"Really, honey, you should give the boy a chance. We've only met him a couple of times," Daddy added.

"Thank you Daddy," Rachel said, beaming at him.

Dad shook his head. "Boys like him are only after one thing from beautiful girls like you, sweetheart."

Rachel huffed. "Noah's not like that with me. He's one of my best friends and has been for months now. And didn't you and Daddy start out as best friends before you dated."

Dad frowned. "Yes, but..."

"And you started dating in your junior year of high school; I'll be a junior this year and Noah is going to be a senior. So, we're no younger than you were when you got together," she continued. "So, I don't see where you have any grounds to protest."

She nearly smirked (in a very Puck-like manner) at Dad's discomfort, but she restrained herself. She so liked when she was right. When the doorbell rang, Daddy used the excuse to escape the room (he always tried to escape when she and Dad argued). He came back a few moments later with Noah.

Noah crossed to her and dropped a quick kiss on her lips. "You look stunning babe."

She beamed up at him. "Thank you Noah. You look very handsome."

And he did. He was dressed simply in new black jeans and a light green button down shirt (their outfits coordinated, but they didn't match, which was kind of funny since they hadn't discussed how they were going to dress). The color of his shirt highlighted the green in his hazel eyes. Rachel didn't think she had ever seen him so nicely dressed outside of glee performances.

"Of course I do babe. I'm a stud," he reminded her with a smirk.

Slipping her hand into his, she introduced him to her dads. "This is my Daddy..."

"Darren, right?" He offered his hand to Daddy, who shook it with a smile. Then Noah turned to Dad. "So that would make you Charlie." He also held his hand out to Dad, who took it reluctantly. Rachel couldn't believe that Noah had remembered their names since he had said he didn't care.

"If anything happens to Rachel while she's in your care, we keep a shotgun in the house," Dad warned.

"Dad! Stop it! Nothing's going to happen to me while I'm with Noah," she insisted, blushing and stomping her foot.

Daddy stepped in to ease the tension. "You kids have fun. Curfew's at midnight, so please have her back by then Noah."

Noah nodded. "Of course sir."

Daddy smiled at him. "You can call me Darren."

"Okay then Darren."

Daddy kissed her forehead. "Have fun sweetie and be safe."

Face flaming at that advice (because she knew Daddy was talking about sex), Rachel simply nodded and dragged Noah out of the house, leaving Dad sputtering behind them.

Once they'd climbed into Noah's truck and started down the road, Rachel turned to him, a grin on her lips.

"You remembered my fathers' names. I thought you didn't care," she taunted him with his words from Regionals weekend.

"I didn't at the time, but like I said-with as much as you talk, sometimes things get through that I don't care about. It came in handy tonight though," he explained.

"You said at the time. What does that mean?" she asked curiously.

"It means I didn't think I'd end up dating you at the time because you were so dead set on ignoring the heat between us. Now I'm dating you, so I'm fucking glad that I remembered your dads' names," he illuminated her.

Turning to look out the window, she smiled when he reached over and took her hand, twining their fingers together in the center of the bench seat. She wondered how many more things she'd said that he remembered.

ooooo

Halfway through dinner, Puck was frowning. Berry wasn't talking as much as she normally did, and while he would usually just think that she was nervous (it was their first date after all, even if they had hung out frequently), he knew that wasn't the case this time. The biggest sign was the way she winced occasionally while she talked; if he had been able to take his eyes off her, he wouldn't have fucking noticed. He couldn't look away from her though (she looked damn hot tonight), so he did notice. He was going to get to the fucking bottom of this.

"Hey, Berry, why do you keep wincing while you talk?" he questioned casually.

Her face turned pink and she looked away from him. "I don't know what you're talking about Noah."

She winced noticeably when she said his name and he scowled.

"Berry what the fuck is going on?" he inquired forcefully.

"Please Noah, I really don't want to talk about it right now and ruin our lovely night," she pleaded with him, gazing directly into his eyes.

The expression in her large brown eyes was so desperate that he couldn't push her on it. He cared about her (_really fucking cared_) and he didn't want to make her mad. He had a suspicion though and he also knew that he would be able to test it later that night. So, he let her steer the conversation back into a lighter topic while she talked about her play.

They finished dinner and loaded back into his truck. Before she could buckle her seat belt against the passenger door, he grabbed her arm and pulled her across the seat so that she was up against him. Clearly happy, she grinned up at him and fastened the center seat belt instead while he settled his arm around her shoulders. He could get fucking used to this.

ooooo

While she rode with Noah out of town, she was slightly worried. Oh, not about where he was taking her; she knew that she was physically safe with him (she had known that since he stopped throwing slushies on her-it was her heart that she worried about). No, she was worried that he was going to find out what she was hiding from him and then she'd be forced to talk about it. The truth was that Jack hitting her like he had; well, it had completely shaken her. At first she merely couldn't believe it had happened but since that part had sunk in, she just felt a low fear simmering in her stomach at all times. It wasn't so bad when she wasn't talking, but every time the bruise would throb when she moved her cheek, that fear would peak again. She felt paranoid and she had never felt that way before, not even with all the slushies she'd taken. She didn't like that Jack had removed her sense of security.

She was fully comfortable, her head resting against Noah's side when he followed a narrow road through the trees to a deserted location at the edge of one of the nearby lakes. Pulling the truck to a stop, Puck got out and grabbed a blanket from behind the seat.

"Come on babe," he said, leaving the door open before circling to the back of the truck.

Grabbing her purse, she slid across the seat and hopped down, closing the door behind her. When she followed him, she saw that he had spread the blanket in the bed of the truck. She reached him and he circled his hands around her waist and lifted her up into the bed before climbing up himself. She sat awkwardly on the blanket while he reclined.

He snorted. "Honestly Berry."

Grabbing her wrist, he pulled her down so that she was lying with her left cheek against his hard chest. While he stroked her hair (_that felt really, really good_), she let her eyes drift closed in pleasure. She felt so comfortable like this with him. They simply lay there like that for a while before he broke the silence.

"Do your dads really have a shotgun?"

Rachel giggled; she could swear that was real fear she heard in his voice. "Yes, they do. I don't think Daddy would actually let Dad use it on you though."

"Well that's comforting," he muttered.

She lifted her head so that she could see his face. "It should be. Dad has a temper, yes, but Daddy has always been able to even him out nicely. It's actually very sweet."

"Good. I don't want shot before I fuck you," he murmured, hauling her up his chest and placing a soft kiss on her lips.

"That's not why you brought us out here tonight?" she asked in confusion. She was sure that was why he had picked such a private place.

He smirked at her. "As much as I'd love to babe, I already told you I'm waiting for the test results to come back first. When I slide into you, I'm going to know that I'm fucking safe for you."

Even though he was smirking, she could see the sincerity in his eyes. He may have been all about the no condom thing (a thrill ran up her spine; that felt so _forbidden_), but he was just as concerned about her health and that caused a warmth in her chest that had nothing to do with physical desire. Leaning over him, she pressed her lips to his and tried to put everything she was feeling into the kiss.

He responded immediately. When she pressed her tongue to his lips, he opened his mouth and took her inside. She caressed his tongue timidly and he responded much more aggressively until she was completely absorbed in the kiss. He rolled her over onto her back and followed so that he was lying half on top of her, her arms around his neck. Her eyes had drifted closed as she took in his wonderful cinnamon taste, so she didn't notice that he had moved his hand until he cupped her chin and stroked his thumb along her right cheek. Her eyes popped open and she tore her mouth away from his with a cry of pain.

"Shit, Rachel, are you okay?" He gazed down at her, concern visible in his eyes.

She cupped her hand over her cheek, tears prickling at her eyes. "I'm fine; just ignore it."

She reached up to pull him back down to her, but he sat up instead.

"You're not fine. What the hell is wrong? And tell me the fucking truth," he demanded roughly.

She also sat up and leaned back against the cab. She really didn't want to talk about it, but she knew that she had to because he wouldn't let it go otherwise. Gazing up at the stars overhead, she started.

"I told you that I talked to Jack both last night and this morning, right? Well, the truth is when I broke up with him last night, it...it didn't go well. He was very drunk and very angry because he thought that we had sex in the closet. When I broke up with him, I guess it was just more than he could take in that state. He was irate and he started yelling at me. I tried to get him out of my car, but it just made him more upset and he..." she paused here and took a deep breath so that she could finally say it out loud. "He hit me."

"Fuck! That bastard! When I get a hold of him I'm going to rip his fucking..." He had jumped to his feet and was pacing the truck bed.

"Noah. Please stop," she pleaded with him. "I just want to forget it happened."

"But he fucking hit you Rach," Puck pointed out before finally looking at her. When he saw the tears in her eyes, he dropped to his knees next to her and ran his hand soothingly over her hair. "I'm sorry, Rach. I'm just pissed that you would let him get away with this. You should fucking press charges."

She shook her head. "I just want to pretend it never happened. He was so drunk, and he did drop by my house to apologize for it this morning. So, can we just move on? I don't want him to ruin our night."

She could tell that Noah was fighting a battle with himself on the best course of action to take. When his eyes softened and some of the anger fled, she knew that she was going to get her way, at least for tonight.

"I'm not just going to fucking forget what he did, but for tonight, I'll let you make the call," he agreed quietly.

She also heard what he wasn't saying-that tomorrow he was making the call on what to do about Jack-and she was okay with that.

Leaning forward, she kissed him softly, but it quickly escalated from there. When he pulled his mouth from hers, he pressed his lips to her forehead, nose, and chin. When he brushed his lips very lightly over her right cheekbone directly over her bruise, she felt like her heart had expanded. The surprising show of gentleness was also an immense turn on. She curved her hands over his shoulders and slid down the cab so that she was on her back, pulling him down with her as he fastened his lips over hers again.

When he brushed his hand over her breast, she took in a shuddering breath. Pulling his mouth from hers, he kissed a trail down her neck to her shoulder. Moving the strap of her dress down her arm, he followed its path with his lips. Then he kissed across her collarbone, stopping to bite down gently, drawing a moan from her. She ran her hands up the back of his shirt, caressing the muscles there. He repeated his actions on her other shoulder, pushing that strap down her arm too.

When he pulled back from her, breaking her hold on his back, his eyes had gone dark green. The color sent a rush of liquid to her core because she knew what that green meant. He was highly turned on and that meant very good things for her. When he tugged the top of her dress down, she lifted her upper body slightly to let him and pulled her arms free of the straps. Once he had bared her breasts to his gaze, he simply stared down at her for a moment.

"God, Rach, you're gorgeous," he breathed reverently.

She smiled shyly at him and he lowered his mouth to her right breast, sucking her nipple into his mouth while he rolled the other one between his fingers. Moaning, she arched up into him. Every tug on her nipples sent shockwaves to her core and she didn't know if she had ever felt so hot. When she felt his hardness pressed against her hip, she grew even wetter. She started working desperately at the buttons on his shirt and as soon as she got them undone, she shoved it off his shoulders. He circled her other nipple with his tongue before suckling on it and she ran her hands up his chest. When she scraped her nails across his nipples, they hardened and he hissed against her skin.

She caught him off guard when she pushed him over and straddled him. Grinding down on his erection, she placed open mouthed kisses across his chest. When she tugged on his nipple ring (which she loved) with her teeth, he moaned.

"Shit, babe, you're so fucking hot when you take control."

She smiled against his skin and ran her tongue over his nipple before turning her attentions to the other one, pulling on his nipple ring with her fingers. Noah tangled his hands in her hair and she moved down his legs as she kissed her way down his well-muscled stomach to the top of his jeans. When she popped the button on them and pressed a kiss below it, he yanked her back up his body.

"Fuck, Rach, as much as I'd like to explore that no gag reflex thing, not until I get the results back."

She felt slightly disappointed by that, but she got over it quickly when he rolled her onto her back and ran his hand up her skirt to press against the front of her panties.

"Open up babe," he whispered, sucking on her earlobe.

She let her thighs fall open and he pressed his hand over her clit on top of her panties.

"You're fucking soaked," he said against her neck, sliding his finger under the side of the lace to stroke her.

Her hips pressed up against his fingers on their own. When he spoke again, stroking firmly over her clit, she whimpered.

"I wonder how you fucking taste."

He kissed her lips and then moved down her body. She whined when he moved his hand from between her thighs and lifted her hips so he could pull her skirt up. When his face was level with her pussy, he slipped his fingers beneath the waistband of her panties and dragged them down her legs. He stopped to look at her again, just as he had with her breasts, and she pressed her thighs back together nervously.

"Don't fucking try to hide babe. If you could see what I see, you would never fucking hide from me."

His words didn't ease Rachel's nerves any; no one had ever seen her this way before. He must have realized that because he raised his eyes from the juncture of her thighs and met her gaze. The fire she saw there heated her blood to a boil.

"You're so wet Rach that your pussy is actually glistening. You look good enough to eat, so that's what I'm going to fucking do."

When he slid his hands between her thighs, she let him push them apart. She watched him lower his head between them and she thought the anticipation was going to kill her. When she felt his warm tongue swipe along her pussy lips, she let out a loud gasp. That felt so good, and when his tongue snaked between them to touch her clit, her hips shot upward.

Noah placed his hands on her hips to hold her down as he continued to circle his tongue around the nerves there. She was whimpering, her head thrashing from side to side at the amazing sensations he was stirring in her. She could feel that tension tightening in her stomach again and she curled one hand in the blanket and the other in his mohawk. When he pulled her clit into his mouth and hummed, the tension snapped and she cried out his name, her back arching off the blanket.

Noah pulled back briefly to meet her eyes hotly and then, not giving her a chance to recover, he just dove back in again. When his tongue caressed her clit, she whimpered.

"I don't think I can handle it again Noah," she panted out.

His voice was gruff when he answered. "You're just gonna have to babe. You taste too fucking good and I'm not done with you yet."

She was breathing heavily, trying to hold herself together, when he slid a finger into her. He curled it upward and she could feel him drag it along the wall inside of her. It felt wonderful; so filling that she didn't think it could get any better, but then he hit a spot inside her that caused her hips to shoot up again. _That...what was that?_ she wondered incoherently. He drew his finger over that same spot again and another cry was torn from her.

She felt him smile against her and just barely heard when he said, "There it fucking is."

The vibrations of his words against her clit nearly undid her. He slid a second finger inside of her and moved them over that magical spot that he had found. He drew her clit into his mouth and suckled on it, pressing his tongue against it, and after he stroked his fingers inside of her twice more, she came hard, both of her hands twisting the blanket below her.

"Oh, God, Noah!"

While she came down from the aftershocks of her orgasm, he pulled his fingers out of her and licked her clean. Then he moved back up and pressed his lips to hers. She was hesitant to return the kiss because the thought of where his mouth had just been kind of grossed her out, but it was Noah and she simply couldn't resist him. When their tongues twined together, he still tasted like cinnamon, but there was something else there and she knew that something was her. It was a highly erotic thought.

When he let go of her mouth, he smiled down at her. "See how fucking good you taste?"

She felt more confident now (_how could she not? He made her feel amazing_), so sitting up, she shoved him so that his back was pressed against the wall of the bed. She straddled his legs and unzipped his jeans. She giggled.

"No underwear, Noah? Do you ever not go commando?" she teased him.

He smirked at her. "What would be the point babe? It'd just make me less accessible to you and we would both lose then."

She rolled her eyes at him. "You're sure cocky, aren't you?" Reaching into his jeans, she freed him and then gaped at the sight. Shit, how was she ever going to have sex with him? She didn't think he'd fit.

He laughed loudly at her expression. "You're speechless babe. That's okay; I am highly...gifted."

Oh, Rachel so couldn't have him making fun of her right now (_besides, how stupid could he be to laugh at her when she had a hold of his favorite body part?_), so she ran her thumb along the slit and gathered up the precum. She spread it down his shaft and then, tightening her grip around him, she stroked down him. She locked her eyes on his so that she could see what made him crazy.

It took her a few strokes, but she finally figured out the grip and rhythm that had him moaning constantly. When she ran her hand over the tip again, he thrust up against it. For several minutes she stroked him before he grabbed her wrist.

"Fuck, Rach, I'm gonna cum," he warned her on a gasp.

Leaning forward, she gripped the back of his head and pulled his lips to hers. As their tongues twined together once again, she cupped her hand over his cock just in time to catch the three streams of cum that shot out as his body shuddered. He pulled away from her and again rested his forehead against hers so that he could stare into her eyes.

"You're fucking awesome, you know that right?" he asked seriously, catching his breath.

She smiled at him. "Yeah, I know," she agreed with a giggle.

Clearly caught off guard, he let out a bark of laughter. "Shit, I can't wait until those results come back clean. You won't be able to walk for a week after I'm done with you."

Rachel shook her head in disbelief, wiping her hand on a wet nap that she had gotten from her purse while he cleaned himself off with the one she handed him. When she dropped the used tissue aside and pulled the top of her dress back up, she rolled her eyes at him.

"You know, you keep making promises like that, and I'm bound to be disappointed when you can't follow through," she admonished him.

He glared at her, tucking himself back into his jeans. "Are you questioning my badass-ness?"

She just smiled innocently at him.

"You'll pay for that," he announced, launching himself at her and tackling her to the bed, tickling her sides.

She was laughing so hard that she could barely breathe. When he kissed her playfully, still laughing, she realized that when she chose Puck, she actually had made the safe choice.

ooooo

Puck pulled into Rachel's driveway at 11:55 PM (_no way in hell was he risking getting his ass shot by Charlie_). He actually walked her to the door (_what? His mom had raised him right even if she didn't always think so_) and kissed her. This kiss was much more tender than their past kisses. Puck realized that he was in trouble with this girl. They'd only been friends for a couple of months, but he already couldn't imagine his life without her.

So, to feel more normal, he leaned in and whispered against her ear, "I have your panties in my pocket."

When she smirked at him and said 'I know' he nearly lost his shit right there.

"I had fun tonight Noah," she hesitated before continuing, "and I know that you're going to do something to Jack tomorrow; I'm not stupid; so please, just promise me that you won't get yourself arrested."

Puck's eyes were drawn to her right cheek where he knew she had hidden the bruise, and he felt his blood boil in anger again. That bastard had hit her; he had hurt Puck's girl and anyone with a shred of common sense knew you didn't do that shit unless you wanted your ass handed to you. Still, he knew that he'd have to be careful; he didn't want to wind up in juvie just when he and Rachel were finally together. Plus, he knew she'd worry if he didn't promise.

"I promise I won't get myself arrested, but that bastard has to suffer, Rach."

She nodded. "I know why you feel that way, so I won't stop you."

Standing on tiptoe, she kissed him softly again before opening her front door and facing him again. "Goodnight Noah."

Leaning down he brushed his lips across where he knew the bruise was hidden before straightening back up. "Goodnight Rach."

After she went inside and closed the door, he climbed into his truck. Tonight had been one hell of a first date (even without the sex stuff), and he could admit, if only to himself, that he wanted a lot more of them in the future. First he had to take care of the Jack situation though. Pulling out his phone, he dialed Brittany and waited for her to pick up.

"Hey Britt. Call the girls, all but Berry; I'm going to get the guys. We have some revenge to plan."

When Brittany didn't even question it, just agreed, he thanked God that he had such good friends (and he knew they'd be just as pissed as he was when they learned what that bastard had done).

Jack was going to fucking pay.

A/N 2: I hope it makes sense why Rachel tried to hide the bruise. I tried to explain her thought process clearly, especially in the very first segment. Also, the shotgun threat from Charlie is totally the same one my dad used to make to my boyfriends growing up.


	12. Chapter 12

Spoilers: Only up to 'Sectionals' though stuff from the back 9 may pop in if I think it fits with my plot line.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot. Also, some of this is from Puck's viewpoint, and he's kind of an offensive guy, so I'd like to point out that his viewpoints don't always reflect mine. I don't own 'Look at Me, I'm Sandra Dee' or 'I Kissed a Girl'.

A/N: For this chapter, I would like to acknowledge xomarcyox. Your idea is included in this chapter although I had to modify it to fit the fact that it's summer and school's not in session, so I hope you approve. Thank you so much for your wonderful responses to my last chapter. I would like to reiterate to those of you who have reviewed that your encouragement means a lot to me, especially heading into the smuttier portions of the story, although the smut is on hiatus this chapter. Also, thank you to everyone who's reading the story. As always, please read and review. I'd love to know what you think of the revenge and reviews are like an addiction. Thanks! 

By the time Puck got home, Tina was already there (she lived two houses down). He unlocked the door and let her in to wait for the others. He knew that it wouldn't be a problem to have the whole group over because his mom was working the night shift at the hospital and his sister was spending the night at a friend's house. It took fifteen minutes before Matt, the last to roll in, arrived. (And, yeah, they were breaking city curfew, but whatever.)

He looked around at the group. "We have a serious problem with Kessinger and we're going to do something about it."

"If Rachel has chosen him instead of you then I don't know what you expect us to do," Artie said from his spot next to Tina.

"That has nothing to do with this. Rachel fucking chose me; we went out tonight. No, this has everything to do with what Kessinger did when she broke up with him," he explained in a menacing tone that had Quinn and Santana exchanging a disturbed glance.

"Well, what did he do?" Mike asked. "Don't keep us in the dark here."

"The bastard fucking hit her."

He was happy with the reactions that statement pulled from the group, ranging from gasps to a very loud 'bastard' from Santana. He knew he wasn't going to have any fucking problems getting them to help him out (just as he had thought).

"What are we going to do to him?" Brittany asked eagerly.

"Nothing that will get any of us arrested," Quinn stated, shooting a stern look at Brittany.

Puck nearly laughed at that; for two people who hadn't gotten along until shortly before Regionals, Rachel and Quinn could be scarily similar.

"Okay Quinn," Santana agreed easily. "But we have to destroy him. No bastard should ever get away with hitting a woman."

"Especially not Rachel," Matt added. "She's tough, but she's also roughly the size of a large dog."

"Dude, not cool to call her a dog. She's much prettier than that." Mike frowned at Matt.

"I said she was the size of a dog, not that she looked like a dog. I think we can all agree that she's hot," Matt corrected him.

Puck scowled when all of the guys, plus Santana, nodded.

"Santana!" Quinn exclaimed. She sounded shocked.

"What?" Santana asked innocently. "You know I'm bi. I'm just saying that if Rachel ever wanted to experiment, I'd be more than happy to help her out."

"_I kissed a girl and I liked it_," Brittany sang and Santana and Tina both joined in. "_The taste of her cherry chapstick; I kissed a girl just to try it; I hope my boyfriend don't mind it._"

"Somehow I doubt Puck would mind it too much," Santana pointed out. "Would you?"

Puck rolled his eyes. "I haven't even fucked her yet; I'm not about to let you get to her first." But he would definitely file that info away for later; maybe he could talk Rachel into it (_he was actually pretty sure she'd kick him in the balls when he suggested it, but he'd still try_).

Santana stuck her tongue out at him and slouched back in her seat.

"Tina, you kissed a girl?" Artie questioned interestedly.

She blushed. "No, I just really like the song. It was my audition for glee club; you know that."

"Oh," Artie sounded disappointed.

Puck realized that they had gotten way off course with the planning they were supposed to be doing here.

"Okay, as much as I like talking about girl-on-girl action, that's not the point of this meeting," he pointed out.

"We should definitely have a meeting about it at some point though," Mike chipped in. When Puck scowled at him, he put his hands in the air in surrender. "Shutting up now."

Puck nodded. "What we need are ideas to destroy Kessinger. When we're done with him, I want to make sure that he has nothing left to his reputation when we head back to school. I want him to be in the same pain that Rachel is in right now," he declared coldly.

The group was completely silent for several moments as they fully absorbed what had happened to Rachel.

"Was she very badly hurt?" Quinn asked in a quiet voice.

Puck sighed. "Badly enough that she winces when she talks."

"How bad does it look?" Santana wondered. "Usually you can tell how bad a bruise hurts by how it looks."

"She had it covered up, so I didn't see it. I wouldn't have even known it was there if I hadn't brushed up against it while I was kissing her," he admitted. He felt like a bad boyfriend; he should have known exactly what was wrong with her by the way she was acting.

"Rachel's really good at covering up bruises; she used to hide them all the time when she was with Finn. She has a special concealer for it," Brittany explained.

Puck felt a surge of anger; _Finn had hit her too?  
_  
Tina noticed Puck's expression and hastened to say, "Finn used to bruise her during practices for Regionals, remember? She turned me onto the brand of concealer after I started singing lead opposite him."

Puck calmed down. That's right; he remembered her helping Tina out the first time Finn had accidentally hit her.

"I think we should go over and talk to her sometime tomorrow," Brittany decided. "She could probably use some friends to talk to about this, and sorry Puck, but you'd never be able to keep your temper long enough to help."

He wanted to argue with her, but he knew she was right. "Okay, she probably could use some girls to talk to and I sure as hell don't want to be around for that."

Mike and Matt nodded their agreement.

"While you guys were talking, I've been thinking. The most effective way to ruin someone's reputation at McKinley is to get incriminating footage of them onto Jacob Ben-Israel's blog," Artie mused thoughtfully.

"Most of the people at school do check it regularly for gossip," Tina agreed.

Puck considered that. Jewfro was a little freak who was way too into his girl (though that could work to their advantage here) but he could spread a rumor like no one else (except possibly Kurt). It might be worth getting him in on the plan. It'd also be a good opportunity to threaten him to back off of Rachel.

"Yeah, you've got a point. Can you get a hold of him tomorrow?" Puck directed the question at Artie.

The other boy nodded. "I have his number because we're in AV club together."

"Good. Now we just need to figure out what we need to do to ruin him."

The group was quiet for a while, deep in thought. There were so many options but they knew that they had to be careful not to get in trouble which ruled out Puck's first choice of just fucking beating the shit out of the bastard. Half an hour after the quiet had fallen, Santana broke it.

"I have an idea," she offered, an evil grin on her face.

ooooo

When Rachel woke up the next morning before the alarm went off, she knew that something was different. Mostly because someone was in bed with her. Her eyes flew open with the knowledge and she jerked away from the warm body on her right.

"It's okay babe. It's just me," Puck said in a calm voice.

Rachel turned to face him. For a second there, that fear had reared it's head and she had thought that Jack had broken into her house to hurt her again. She knew now that was a silly thought brought on by the fact that she hadn't gotten to bed until after one and it was only just after eight now according to her alarm. Plus, she'd had another awful night's sleep as she kept rolling over onto her bruise and waking up.

Unconsciously covering the bruise that was currently visible, she asked Noah, "How did you get in here?"

He smirked at her. "Darren let me in; he gets that I'm badass."

The smirk slid from his face and he reached over to pull her hand from her cheek. She cringed back as he examined it; she could only imagine what it looked like right now. She knew it was bad from the fury that she could see in his eyes.

"That bastard really did a number on you," he observed quietly. Leaning forward, he dropped light kisses along the entire length of the bruise. "He'll never touch you again though, I fucking promise you that."

She started to smile, but it turned into a yawn and she covered her mouth.

"You look tired still babe."

She nodded. "I usually sleep on my right side, so I keep waking up when I roll onto it. This was the second night I've dealt with that."

Noah looked thoughtful for a moment before he crawled over her, causing her to giggle. Once he was situated on top of the covers to her left, he wrapped an arm around her waist under the blankets and pulled her against him so that the left side of her head rested on his chest.

"What are you doing Noah?" she asked curiously, turning her eyes up toward his face.

"Just go to sleep Rach. I've got a hold of you so you can't roll," he directed her gruffly.

She smiled and let her eyelids droop shut. She really was tired and he was so comfortable.

An hour later, Daddy looked in to let her know they were leaving to get groceries. When he saw that both teens were asleep (and fully dressed, thank God), he smiled and covered Noah up with the quilt at the foot of Rachel's bed before pulling the door closed and leaving them to nap (he also made a mental note to ask his daughter about that nasty bruise).

ooooo

At four that afternoon after seeing Rachel off to practice, Puck met up with Brittany, Santana, Quinn, and Jacob Ben-Israel at Artie's house. It was time for the negotiations to bring him in on Santana's portion of the plan.

"I don't know what you want from me," Jewfro said, cowering back into the chair.

"I told you, you're going to do us a fucking favor, so shut up and listen while I explain." Puck scowled at him.

Jewfro gulped audibly and nodded. _Good_. Puck wanted him fucking scared so that he'd do what he said and back off of Rachel.

"You're always sticking your nose in where nobody wants it, so you probably know that Berry's been dating Jack Kessinger from the baseball team. What you won't have picked up on yet is that she dumped him the night before last."

Puck frowned when Jewfro's eyes lit up with a revolting look of hope.

"Don't get any ideas; you still don't stand a fucking chance with Berry."

His face fell and Puck smirked momentarily before slipping back into his serious mode.

"When she broke up with Kessinger, he got pissed and hit her." He paused here to let that information sink in.

"Why that's just abominable! Rachel Berry is not the sort of girl you hit in the face unless it's with your penis," Jewfro announced.

Puck shot forward and wrapped his hand around the disgusting boy's neck, pinning him to his chair as Quinn gasped and Santana made a revolted sound.

"Let's get this clear; Berry's my girl and you're going to keep your fucking eyes, hands, and comments to yourself from now on, got it? Or I will kick your ass," he threatened very seriously.

"Got it," Jewfro choked out, gasping for breath.

Puck let go of him. "Good. Remember it because I don't want to repeat myself. Back to Kessinger. I'm fucking pissed and as Berry's friends, Brittany, Santana, and Quinn feel the same way. We've..." Santana cleared her throat and he rolled his eye before clarifying, "Santana has come up with a plan to destroy his reputation and that's where you come in. We're offering you front row seats to the destruction. You would get to take the video and post it on your blog for everyone to see. What do you think?"

The other boy considered it for a moment before stating, "And I suppose you want something from me in exchange for the exclusive."

Puck respected that the guy was smart enough to realize that (even if he didn't respect anything else about him). "You're right; we do want something. In addition to you staying the fuck away from Berry, you're going to give back any panties you have of hers."

"But that's my prized possession! I earned those fair and square; she gave them to me to keep Quinn's pregnancy secret months ago," Jewfro protested.

Puck was caught off guard for a moment. When Berry had mentioned him having her panties when they'd left the auditorium that day, he never would have guessed that she'd given them to him, let alone to protect Quinn. Turning, he looked at the blonde and noticed that all three Cheerios were just as stunned by that revelation as he was. Quinn was the first to recover and when she put on her bitchiest face, Puck knew Jewfro was in for it.

Standing up, Quinn moved in front of the seated boy. "You may have kept it out of your blog for a while, but you told Coach Sylvester. You didn't earn those panties, so you're going to give them back or heaven help you I will unleash Santana on you."

Puck watched Jewfro look past Quinn at the other Cheerio; turning his head, Puck saw that she flashed Jewfro a terrifying smile.

The other boy gulped again before nodding, "Okay, I'll give them back. So, what do you need me to record?"

Puck gave a feral smile. "Santana and Brittany are going to lure him into a trap and you're going to tape the end results; we want the girls' part in the setup to be kept quiet. Quinn's going to keep an eye on you though and tell you when to start recording. She'll also make sure you do your job, because you're there to record what happens, not to perv on the girls."

"And if you get out of line, I'm not afraid to use violence if needed," Quinn threatened.

"Okay, okay, I get it; I'll be on my best behavior. Where do I need to be and when?" Jewfro questioned.

"You'll need to be at my house at eight tonight. Bring your video camera," Santana informed him. "I'm guessing you know where I live," she sneered as he nodded again.

"And bring Rachel's panties with you," Brittany added. "We need your payment before we can let you record the events."

"We're done here," Puck dismissed Jewfro.

Once he had scurried from the room, Puck turned to Santana and Brittany.

"So, Kessinger went for the invitation?" he inquired.

"Totally," Santana confirmed. "He thinks he's about to get the best break up present ever."

"A threesome with San and me," Brittany added.

Puck nodded. "Excellent."

"Have you seen Rachel yet today?" Quinn asked him, sitting back down at the same time that Artie rolled into the room and asked, "So how did it got?"

Puck nodded to Artie in greeting before answering Quinn, "Yeah, I got to her house before she woke up."

"You saw the bruise then, didn't you? What did it look like?" Brittany was frowning. He could tell the thought of Rachel hurt upset her as much as it did him (of course, he knew that Rachel was Britt's best friend; at some point she'd overtaken Santana for the spot).

"Yeah, I did. Her whole right cheek is dark purple; he fuckin' got her good because it doesn't look like it's fading yet." He could feel the anger boil up as he pictured her normally beautiful face marred by the ugly mark.

"We'll visit her tonight after we deal with Jack," Santana decided before glancing at Brittany and Quinn. "If that works for you guys."

Both Cheerios nodded and Brittany mentioned inviting Tina too.

"So, how did it go with Jacob?" Artie repeated his earlier question.

Puck let the girls describe the meeting; he was busy thinking about his portion of the revenge. It was gonna be fucking sweet.

ooooo

_Look at me, I'm Sandra Dee  
Lousy with virginity  
Won't go to bed 'til I'm legally wed  
I can't; I'm Sandra Dee_

Rachel crossed her hands over her chest in a gesture of shock.

_Watch it! Hey I'm Doris Day  
I was not brought up that way  
Won't come across,  
Even Rock Hudson lost  
His heart to Doris Day  
_  
She held out the last note until it was time to launch into the next section.  
_  
I don't drink (no)  
Or swear (no)  
I don't rat my hair (eew)  
I get ill from one cigarette  
(cough, cough, cough)  
Keep your filthy paws  
Off my silky draws  
Would you pull that crap with Annette?  
_  
She pushed on Tim Riley's (who was playing Danny) chest on the last line.

_As for you Troy Donahue,  
I know what you wanna do  
You got your crust  
I'm no object of lust  
I'm just plain Sandra Dee  
_  
She pressed a hand to her heart and then rocked her hips as she started into the next verse.

_Elvis, Elvis, let me be!  
Keep that pelvis far from me!  
Just keep your cool  
Now your starting to drool  
Hey Fongool, I'm Sandra Dee!_

Rachel sat down on the blanket next to Tim as the music faded out and her first solo number came to an end.

"Very good Rachel!" the director called. "Everybody take five and we'll come back to finish up Act I."

Rachel hopped up from the blanket and went over to check her phone for any voicemails. She was feeling pretty good right now. She and Noah had slept until noon and she hadn't woken up once. Before practice, her dads had asked both her and Noah about the bruise that Daddy had seen when he looked in on them. Noah's obvious fury over what Jack had done had endeared him further to Daddy, who clearly liked him, and even Dad had warmed up a little more to him. Reaching her phone, she saw that she had one message, so she hit the button to listen.

"Hey babe. I hope you're having fun at practice. I just thought I'd remind you that I should get my test results back in six days, so in six days, I'm going to fucking rail you. Talk to ya later."

Rachel stared down at her phone in disbelief; dear God, if she had to listen to messages like that for another six days (and she definitely wouldn't put it past him), then she was going to spend the next week turned on. _Her vibrator was going to see heavy use_, she thought as she drank from her water bottle.

When the director called them back onstage to finish out Act I, her face was still flushed.

ooooo

At eight that night, Puck met Mike, Matt, Tina, and Artie at the back door of the Kessinger's house with their supplies. They had lured Jack's parents away by planting two free movie tickets (bought by Puck) in that day's mail for the 7:30 showing of the newest action flick and Jack himself should be at Santana's house right now. Santana and the movie tickets had bought them at least half an hour guaranteed and an hour at the most. With all five of them working together, they should be able to get in and do what they needed to within half an hour.

Puck took the spare key from under the outside mat (all the baseball guys knew it was there) and unlocked the front door before replacing the key (they all had rubber gloves on to prevent any finger printing). After they entered and shut the door behind them, he turned to his group.

"Remember, we're only here to torture Jack, not his parents; Berry would kill us all if she thought we'd hurt them."

Mike nodded. "I think we all remember the TP debate over Finn's mom."

The three boys led Tina upstairs to Jack's bedroom (the guys had all been there for parties in the past because Jack was also on the football team and his parents traveled a lot) and Artie stayed downstairs to serve as lookout in case Jack or his parents showed up unexpectedly and they all had to book it out the back door. When they reached his room, Matt and Mike hit his private attached bathroom with their items and Tina and Puck stayed behind in his bedroom.

Puck gave Tina the eggs to place under his pillow; they hoped he wouldn't notice them until they had already smashed and ruined his bed. While she put the eggs in place, he started setting the ten cheap alarm clocks he had bought; they were the really annoying windup clocks that rang an actual bell. They were fucking _loud_. He set two for 2AM, two for 3AM, two for 4AM, two for 5AM, and two for 6AM. He also reset the time on Kessinger's normal alarm clock for 7AM (it was set for 11AM originally). Tina, done with the eggs, helped him hide the alarm clocks all over the room. When they were done, they stepped back and checked to see if any of them were visible. They weren't and Puck smirked over the fact that this would definitely pay Kessinger back for the sleep he had stolen from Berry.

Next, to pay him back for the pain. While Tina took a pair of scissors to sever the laces of all of his shoes and cut the sleeves of all of his shirts (she was making tiny snips in the shirts that would ensure he didn't have a single undamaged shirt but not bad enough that they were unwearable), Puck pulled out the icy hot that he had brought with him and started to spread it into every pair of boxers (he was damn glad he had on gloves) and pants in the bastard's dresser. Mike and Matt finished in the bathroom before he and Tina did and came out to join them.

"Did you get everything in the bathroom?" Puck asked, spreading icy hot along the crotch of a pair of jeans.

"Yep; small tubes under the rim of the toilet so that when he flushes he'll get showered in toilet water," Mike stated.

"Cinnamon extract sprayed onto all the toilet paper and lifesavers in the shower head; he'll be nice and sticky the next time he showers," added Matt.

"Great. There's a bottle of Jack in my bag that I got someone to buy for me. Put it somewhere that his parents will find it and think that he bought it," Puck instructed them.

Mike laughed and grabbed the bottle.

"What's that supposed to do?" Tina questioned curiously, closing the closet door. "Won't they just think it's theirs?"

"No, neither of Jack's parents drink; they're very strict about it," Matt explained.

"They got pissed and grounded him for two months the last time they found alcohol in the house and that was just a can of beer," Puck finished, shoving the last pair of pants back into the drawer just as he had found it. "Done."

"Me too," Mike responded, reentering the room from the bathroom. "It's hidden under the sink, so the next time his mom cleans his bathroom she'll find it. He doesn't keep anything under there, but cleaning supplies, so he's not likely to find it before she does."

Puck led them downstairs, they collected Artie, and left the house through the back door. They removed their gloves and stuffed them in their pockets before walking the two blocks to their cars. Then they headed back to Puck's house. The Cheerios were picking up Rachel as soon as their part was done and then they and Jewfro were going to meet them at the house.

ooooo

After waiting for twenty minutes (and congratulating each other on a job well done), Puck finally heard the front door open up.

"Why did you kidnap me and bring me to Noah's house guys? I don't understand," Rachel's voice floated into the living room where Puck was sitting.

"Just trust us Rachel; you want to see this," he heard Quinn say.

"But why did Jacob follow us?" Rachel was clearly in question mode.

"Shut the hell up and go with it." Puck smirked at Santana's contribution to the conversation and the way Rachel huffed in annoyance afterward.

When Santana shoved Rachel into the room, Puck laughed at the expression on his girlfriend's face. She looked completely indignant at being manhandled by the Cheerio. When her eyes landed on Puck sitting on the couch next to Mike, her expression changed into a smile and she crossed the room to him. As soon as she was near enough, he reached out and circled her waist, pulling her down to sit sideways on his lap.

"Hey babe," he greeted her, nuzzling into her throat and nibbling her collarbone.

She gasped and fisted one hand in his mohawk. "Hello Noah."

"Hey none of that!" Quinn yelled, throwing a pillow and hitting Puck in the side of his head that wasn't pressed against Rachel.

Rachel made an embarrassed noise and pulled Puck's head away from her. The instant he was sitting up straight again, Rachel buried her face in his chest. He ran one hand over her hair the way that he'd noticed she enjoyed and flipped off Quinn with the hand around her waist. Quinn just rolled her eyes at him and dropped down on the floor to sit at Matt's feet.

"Do you have the video Jewfro?" Puck asked, directing his gaze to the boy who was watching him and Rachel in shock.

He shook his head and cleared his throat. "Yeah, let me just hook it up to the TV so you can watch it."

They waited a couple of moments while Jewfro hooked it up and then he hit a button and stepped back so that he could watch the video too.

"I really do think this was some of my finest work," he stated.

"Shut it." Santana sent him a threatening look, and he closed his mouth.

"C'mon babe, watch the video," Puck nudged Rachel in the side and she moved her head from his chest to watch the TV.

On the screen, Kessinger was sitting in Santana's hot tub with his eyes closed. When Kessinger's eyes opened, Jewfro zoomed out to take in the entire scene. Neither Santana nor Brittany were anywhere to be found. Kessinger looked around in confusion and then, apparently finally realizing what had happened, he let out an annoyed growl.

"This isn't funny. Give my clothes back!" he yelled, staring at the house.

They didn't hear anything except Quinn's quiet giggles on the video, but the other girls must have told him no because he looked suddenly furious. Getting out of the hot tub (Rachel and Tina both gasped and the boys all made various sounds of disgust because Kessinger was bare ass naked and none of them wanted to fucking see that), he stalked to the door and beat on it, making all sorts of threats before turning around and stalking out of the yard. Jacob followed at a distance to continue taping and caught Kessinger stalking past one of Santana's neighbors. They all laughed when they saw that the neighbor was having a party with a lot of guests. The guests' reactions varied between disgust and laughter. By the time Jewfro got his final shot of Kessinger climbing into his car, his whole body was red and he had picked up to a run. Then the screen went black.

While Jewfro moved to unhook his camera, Rachel turned to Santana.

"That was your house. What did you do?"

Santana looked fucking proud of herself. "I invited him over for a threesome with Britt and I. He accepted, of course, and when he came over, Brittany and I just kissed a little to convince him to hop into the hot tub without any clothes on. We talked a little dirty to him and then we told him to close his eyes so that we could take care of him."

Brittany continued the story from her spot in Mike's lap so Rachel swiveled on Puck's to face her (he had to hold back a groan; she always rubbed him in the right fucking way). "As soon as his eyes were closed, we sneaked out of the hot tub and grabbed his clothes before going inside and locking the door. Then we just watched the sparks."

"So what are you guys doing with the video?" Rachel wondered.

"I'm posting it on my blog. Tomorrow everyone at McKinley who visits it will know all about Jack Kessinger's nude run to his car," Jewfro stated. "Can I go now?"

Puck asked Brittany, "Did he pay up?" When Brittany nodded, Puck waved Jewfro to the door. "Get that on the internet ASAP."

Once Jewfro had left, Rachel gazed up at him. "So what were you doing while they were stealing his clothing?"

"We didn't steal his clothes," Quinn protested. "Before we picked you up, I decorated his yard with them."

The others laughed. Quinn had finally gotten in on the act as something other than Jewfro's babysitter.

Puck noticed that Rachel was still frowning at him, so he explained about all of the various traps he, Tina, and the boys had set for Kessinger in his bedroom and bathroom. By the time he was done, she was beaming at him. She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly.

"I'm so proud of you Noah. You used your brain to get payback instead of just mindlessly beating him up," she said in his ear.

He couldn't resist moving her face so that he could kiss her deeply. Then a barrage of objects hit them from all of their friends and they pulled apart, Rachel giggling and Puck scowling at them.

ooooo

"So things seem to be going well between you and Puck."

Rachel was surprised when Tina was the one to bring it up. The girls had left his house shortly after viewing the video and come back to Rachel's. They were all sitting around her room now; Santana, Brittany, and Quinn had been reliving their conquest over Jack in detail for Tina and Rachel, who hadn't been there. Quinn had also presented her with the panties that Rachel had given to Jacob so many months ago to protect the blonde. She'd thanked the girls and tossed them in the trash (she didn't want to know what Jacob had done with them while he had them). Once they had finished their story, Tina apparently decided to change the subject to Puck and Rachel.

Rachel blushed. "Yeah, we're doing well. I mean, it's still really new and everything and it didn't really have the best start..." she trailed off.

"What's wrong?" Brittany asked with concern. "You look like you did that day we walked around the lake."

Rachel wondered if she should tell them what she was thinking-her fear that she had deserved to get hit. She knew they would argue with her but she kind of thought that was what she needed-someone to tell her she wasn't Finn.

"It's just...I think I kind of deserved for him to hit me."

She saw the stricken looks on their faces and continued, "I did cheat on him; okay, I know that Noah and I didn't have sex, but close enough. I hit Finn for cheating on me, so how was Jack hitting me any different?"

"You have got to be fucking kidding me Rachel!" Santana burst out. "No one deserves that. Yes, we _both_ hit Finn for what he did, but it's not like either of us did any real damage to him; it was more of an insult to his pride. Kessinger did real damage to you though."

Rachel's hand automatically went to her cheek. "How do you know that?"

"Puck told us about the bruise this morning," Quinn said softly.

Brittany nodded. "He looked really scary; I think that if Jack had been in the room right then, he would be dead now."

"He really told you about the bruise?" Rachel asked timidly. It was one thing for them to know what had happened; it was another to have them know that it left her with her very own scarlet letter (so to speak).

"Rachel, we don't want to pressure you," Tina started.

"But between hiding the bruise from everyone and not even telling Puck what had happened until he found it for himself, you're clearly not dealing with this," Quinn continued.

"And you really need to if you and Puck are going to have a healthy relationship," Brittany added.

"Besides, that's what friends are for," Santana finished, rolling her eyes as if she couldn't believe the words had come from her.

Rachel sighed. Getting up, she crossed to the bathroom. She wet down a washcloth and wiped the makeup from her face. The next step to getting past it was facing the reactions of others when they saw the bruise (she'd already taken the first step in telling Noah last night). She looked at the bruise, which was still horrible, and took a deep breath. She left the bathroom for the bedroom again. When she stepped in, the other girls gasped loudly.

"It really is as bad as he said." Quinn's voice was muffled because she had her hands over her mouth.

Santana was furious. "Kessinger deserves to have his ass kicked."

Tina nodded vigorously. "I'm surprised Puck hasn't hit him."

Brittany grinned. "That's because he loves Rachel."

All of them, except Santana, stared at Brittany in surprise. _She thought Noah loved her?_ But they had only just started dating.

"Oh, don't look so shocked," Santana responded to their expressions for Brittany. "He's gone after Rachel with single-minded determination, he hasn't slept with anyone since he decided he wanted her, he was willing to not hit Jack, and you've all seen the way he looks at her. Rachel, he is clearly in love with you; he's just really stupid about feelings so he probably doesn't know it yet."

"Yay! A new mission!" Brittany cheered, bouncing on the bed.

"No, Britt, we're not interfering this time. Puck needs to realize it and tell her on his own time," Quinn quickly put a stop to any planning.

"I'm sorry, but you said it would be a new mission?" Rachel questioned. "What was the old mission?"

The other four exchanged a look as if they were trying to decide what to say before Santana spoke. As Rachel listened to their explanation, she couldn't shake the feeling that they were hiding something from her, but she figured that she was just being paranoid.

"We kind of put you and Puck together for 7 Minutes in Heaven. All of us but Tina had a hand in that," Santana admitted. "I stole your keys of course."

"It was my idea," Brittany added.

"And I told Puck to feel around for your star key ring," Quinn chipped in. When Rachel and Tina stared at her, she frowned. "What? I can help with the plotting too. I just prefer not to help with anything illegal."

"Anyway, the point of this whole visit is that no woman deserves to be hit and that includes you. You are not Finn. You didn't intend to hurt Jack and you weren't using him. You fell for Puck and no one can help who they fall in love with," Tina summed up what they all felt about the situation.

As Rachel considered those words, she felt slightly better. They were right; she really hadn't been using Jack. She'd had every intention of staying with him but she just couldn't resist Noah anymore. And she realized that Tina was right about something else. She buried her head in her hands. _When had she fallen in love with Noah?_

"I'd like to say something," Santana announced formally.

Rachel lifted her head. "What?"

"I totally called that you'd sleep with Puck," she said smugly.

Rachel grabbed her pillow and hit Santana in the face with it, making everyone laugh.

A/N 2: According to wikipedia, Rizzo sings 'Look at Me, I'm Sandra Dee' to Danny during a picnic in the park in the stage version of Grease. I apologize if this is wrong.


	13. Chapter 13

Spoilers: Only up to 'Sectionals' though stuff from the back 9 may pop in if I think it fits with my plot line.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot. Also, some of this is from Puck's viewpoint, and he's kind of an offensive guy, so I'd like to point out that his viewpoints don't always reflect mine. I don't own 'Grease' or 'There Are Worse Things I Could Do'.

A/N: Okay, so I really, really want to know what you guys think about this chapter. As I've said before, I'm really new at the smut scenes, so please let me know how I did. This is the first time I've written a scene like that from Puck's POV. I'd like to thank everyone who had reviewed this story so far; it's drawing to a close because there are only two more chapters left. Also, thank you to everyone who's reading the story. As always, please read and review. Reviews are a much healthier form of crack, I swear. Thanks! 

"Hey babe, I just thought I'd call and remind you that I'm going to fuck you in five days. See ya later."

ooooo

"Babe, you've heard of deep throating, right? I sure as hell hope so because I'm going to fully test the non-existence of your gag reflex. Only four days left."

ooooo

"Hello, Noah. I see that I've reached your voicemail but that actually works quite well for me. I just wanted to let you know that I have been conducting research on the internet into fellatio techniques and I believe that I have found some tips that should make the experience quite pleasurable for you. I did look up deep throating, since you suggested it, and I think that I will perform that technique quite admirably in three days. I would also like to inform you that my bedroom is soundproof. Oh, and you owe me a pack of AA batteries because you have caused me to use all of mine."

ooooo

"Shit babe, you own a vibrator? Why the hell haven't you mentioned that before? It's fucking hot. I'll keep you stocked in batteries if you'll just let me use it on you sometime. Can't wait to feel the results of your research in just two more days, preferably in your soundproof bedroom. Have a good time at practice."

ooooo

"Hi, Rach. I really wish your fucking director hadn't called for so much practice lately. I know that your play opens tomorrow, but I haven't seen you in nearly a fucking week. I kind of miss your crazy midget ass and I'm tired of talking to your voicemail. Even if I don't get the results back tomorrow like I should, don't make any plans for after the play. I'm taking you out to celebrate. Good luck with dress rehearsal."

ooooo

"Guess what I got today babe. That's right; the results are in and I'm clean. I hope you fucking listened to me yesterday because I am going to fucking screw you tonight until you can't move and you're going to love every fucking second of it. Break a leg in your play tonight. I'll be in the audience cheering you on. See ya babe."

ooooo

Puck hung up his phone. He wished he knew how Berry was handling each of his messages (though given she had demanded more batteries, he had a good fucking idea), but he hadn't fucking talked to her in nearly a week. He hadn't been lying when he'd said that he missed her. He was glad the results had come back clean today, but he would've been happy that he could finally hold her and kiss her again tonight even if the results hadn't come in. A week was way too long to go without seeing or talking to her. He thought he might have to punch her director for keeping her so busy over the last several days.

"Puckerman, put the phone down you girl! You're up to bat!"

At the sound of Coach's yelling, Puck dropped his phone into his pocket and took his spot at the plate. It was the last inning of their game against Bluffton and so far Puck had sucked. He was pretty sure that it was because Rachel wasn't in her usual seat next to Brittany. This was the first game she'd missed because she was in her final dress rehearsal. He hadn't realized how much her absence would screw with his concentration.

When the ball flew over the plate, Puck hit it and ran for first base, but the center fielder caught it, giving them their second out. They were three runs behind and Puck was pretty sure this was going to be their first loss of the season. He was also pretty sure that the loss was his fault since he hadn't fucking made it on base once in the whole game.

The game ended a short time later and they had lost by one fucking run. When Brittany hugged Mike in consolation, Puck tried not to feel fucking jealous of them just because his own girlfriend wasn't there like she had been all season, but it didn't work.

At least he'd have her in his arms tonight.

After he'd finished in the locker room so that he could head home and get ready for the night, he was in the parking lot on the way to his truck when someone grabbed his shoulder and spun him around. He didn't even get a chance to block before a fist was planted to the right side of his face, causing his head to snap back.

"What the fuck?!" he yelled in anger. _Who the hell would be stupid enough to start a fight with him?_

"You fucking bastard! It wasn't bad enough that you stole Rachel from me, but you fucking broke into my house and destroyed my room."

Puck met Kessinger's furious gaze head on. "I don't know what the fuck you're talking about."

They had drawn a crowd of observers but neither of them noticed.

"You weren't good enough for Rachel," Puck hissed out. "So she chose me."

That was apparently all that Kessinger could handle because he charged Puck and tackled him to the ground. He tried to punch Puck again, but he was ready for him this time and moved his head so that Kessinger slammed his fist into the pavement instead. While the other boy screamed in pain, Puck shoved him over and punched him as hard as he could in the right cheekbone. The bastard let out another scream.

"You don't fucking like that, do you? Now you know how Berry felt when you hit her!" Puck yelled, pulling back and hitting the bastard again, in the jaw this time. "You don't fucking hit girls fucker!"

The crowd around them had started muttering about Puck's words, but Puck didn't pay attention to that. He felt someone settle their hands on his shoulders and start pulling.

"C'mon Puck, no more. Think about Rachel."

Mike's words broke through Puck's rage and he climbed off Kessinger and got to his feet. He glared down at Kessinger, who was crying.

"You stay the fuck away from Rachel Berry. If you ever lay a finger on her again, I will send you to the morgue."

Puck followed Mike over to where Matt was waiting on the edge of the crowd. When Kessinger screamed in pain again, they all turned back to him. He was curled in the fetal position, cupping his balls with Brittany standing over him.

She gave them an innocent smile. "What?"

ooooo

Breathing heavily, Rachel's back arched off the bed as she called Noah's name. When the shudders stopped, she shut off her rabbit and removed it from between her legs. She couldn't believe how hot his message today had gotten her. She had to be at the theater in an hour to prepare to go on stage, but the instant she'd heard him say that he was clean and realized that they were going to have sex tonight (_with no condom!_), she'd had to take some quality time with her vibrator to take the edge off the ache (and that was _all_ it had done; she'd used her rabbit a lot over the past few days but it just wasn't as fufilling as the orgasms that Noah had given her).

As she cleaned the toy and removed the batteries to store it again, she thought about the boy who had wrung this response from her. She never would have thought it possible, but she was quite sure that she was going through Noah withdrawal. The only contact they had since she had left his house the night that he and their friends had taken revenge on Jack were the messages he had left her and the one she had left for him. Her director had them practicing nearly every second of the day and by the time she got home, she had just enough energy to change into her pajamas and climb into bed. She was looking forward to simply being able to touch and kiss him tonight.

Rachel grabbed a shower so that she could start fresh. While she washed her hair, she idly hoped that she'd get a chance to shower before she and Noah had sex. She knew that she would feel sweaty and gross after the show and she at least wanted to start out nice and clean (she really hoped she'd end up sweaty again though). She got out of the shower and blow dried her hair. She didn't bother to style it or put on makeup because both of those things would be handled at the theater. She picked out her clothing carefully, aiming for maximum torture for Noah.

After she called good-bye to her dads, she drove to the theater. The time leading up to the curtain rising was a blur as she dressed in her first costume and they curled her hair (she didn't have to wear a wig for this part, thank heavens and the curls looked really good on her) and applied her thick stage makeup. Before she even realized what had happened, she was standing on her mark on stage as the music to the opening number 'Grease' began. Then the curtain went up.

ooooo

Puck was sitting in the audience watching the play. It was interesting; Berry was probably the youngest person on stage, but she was so much better than the rest of the cast. She really was the star she always claimed to be because she could act as well as sing. He was bored for the parts of the play when she was offstage, but the instant she came on, he couldn't take his eyes off her. When she sang that song about Sandra Dee, she was just so damn sexy, he wanted to haul her off the stage to somewhere private right then. He had also fought anger through the parts where she had to kiss the douche playing Kenickie; he knew it was just part of the script, but he hadn't realized it'd be so fucking hard to watch his girl kiss another guy even knowing that.

Toward the end of the play, Rachel's character feared that she was pregnant. Watching Rachel play out that scene hit a little too close to home for Puck, especially when she lied and told Kenickie that he wasn't the dad. It brought back memories of Quinn telling him that he was a Lima loser and that she wished Finn was the father of her baby. Puck knew that Rachel wasn't like that though; if something went wrong with her birth control and they ever found themselves in that situation, he knew that Rachel would let him take care of her and the baby no questions asked, whatever decision she made on what to do with the baby. Plus the entire situation would be different for them. They were together; a real couple the way that Quinn and Finn had been at the time without the betrayal.

He watched her on stage, turning down the help of every single one of the other characters. If the play was anything like the movie at this point, he knew that her next solo was coming up and he knew it would be more emotionally packed than her previous solo. When the music picked up and the stage went dark except for a single spotlight on Rachel, he focused all of his attention on her and let her voice carry him away.

_There are worse things I could do  
Than go with a boy or two  
Even though the neighborhood thinks I'm trashy  
And no good  
I suppose it could be true  
But there are worse things I could do_

Her voice was clear but very soft and he was amazed at the amount of sadness she was able to pack into those words (she wasn't even using her full range yet).

_I could flirt with all the guys  
Smile at them and bat my eyes  
Press against them when we dance  
Make them think they stand a chance  
Then refuse to see it through  
That's a thing I'd never do  
_  
Puck knew those words rang true for Rachel (yes, she had fucking teased him-_a lot_-but he also knew she wouldn't have done that with anyone but him).

_I could stay home every night  
Wait around for Mr. Right  
Take cold showers every day  
And throw my life away  
On a dream that won't come true_

She belted out the first couple of lines of the verse before growing progressively quieter; he knew that after that verse everyone in the audience would see the same star that he saw when he looked at her.

_I could hurt someone like me  
Out of spite or jealousy  
I don't steal and I don't lie  
But I can feel and I can cry  
A fact I'll bet you never knew  
But to cry in front of you  
That's the worst thing I could do_

Puck let those words flow over him and he realized just how perfectly they described his girl. She never purposely hurt anyone else no matter how awful they were to her (and in a way that had been good for him; he knew he wouldn't have stood a chance with her if she wasn't so unconditionally forgiving). And with the way she always smiled no matter what the bastards in the school (including him) threw at her, he had never considered the fact that what they did to her hurt. He had only seen her cry once, when she quit glee before Regionals, and she had run immediately. Even when Jack hit her, he hadn't seen her cry, just get a little teary-eyed when she told him about it. He wondered how many times she had fucking cried with no one to comfort her. Well, that wouldn't fucking happen this year when they went back to school. She was his girl and he was going to protect her.

When the play ended on another happy number and the cast came out to take their bows, Puck stood up and clapped and whistled just as loudly as anyone else in the audience. He thought that maybe he could spend the rest of his life watching Berry on stage.

ooooo

As soon as she had taken her bow to the enthusiastic applause, she hurried backstage and changed and removed her stage makeup to apply some mascara and lip gloss. The fact that she had no concealer or foundation on meant that her bruise was visible (it had turned a nasty yellowish-green over the past week), but she didn't think she could stand to wear the stage makeup for a second longer. It was so uncomfortable. She was glad that she liked her hair when it was curly like it was now or she'd be figuring out something to do about it too.

Once she emerged back into the back stage area, she found that several of the audience members had joined the cast. She spotted her dads and hurried over to them.

"Rachel, sweetheart, you were wonderful," Daddy complimented her as he hugged her.

Dad hugged her next. "You will be such a star once you hit Broadway."

She was beaming brightly at the compliments. She knew that they truly meant what they said and weren't just doing the dad thing. While they told her their favorite parts of her performance, a strong pair of arms circled her waist from behind. From the ache that immediately built in her core, she knew it was Noah so she turned around and jumped up to throw her arms around his neck.

"Hi, Noah!"

He smirked at her as he slipped his hands down to grasp her butt and lift her. She wrapped her legs around his waist (a little higher than usual, but she didn't want to cause any issues with her dads standing right there).

"Hi babe," he greeted quickly before lowering his lips to hers.

As his lips moved against hers she let out a content sigh. She had forgotten how wonderful he felt. The memories were great, but they just couldn't compare to the real thing. Before they could become fully absorbed in the kiss though, a voice broke through.

"How many times do I have to tell you two? None of that."

Rachel pulled her mouth from Puck's and turned her head to find Quinn grinning at her (and holding hands with Matt; _when did that happen?_). And they weren't the only ones either; all of Rachel's friends were there.

While Puck set Rachel back down, Quinn turned to her dads. "Mr. and Mr. Berry, I've tried to teach them when it's inappropriate to make out, but they just don't seem to get it."

Daddy laughed at that and Dad smiled at her as if she was his new favorite person. Rachel hid her own smile.

"Dad, Daddy these are our friends. Quinn, Matt, Brittany, Mike, Santana, Tina, and Artie." She pointed at each of them as she said their names. "Guys, this is my daddy Darren and my dad Charlie."

Everyone greeted each other and then they all descended on Rachel, telling her how wonderful she was. She was having a very good night and from the way Noah was rubbing his thumb over the back of the hand she had twined with his, she knew it would only get better.

ooooo

Half an hour after they left the theater, Puck rang her doorbell. She had asked him to come over because her dads were going out with friends so she'd have the house to herself. She had wanted half an hour to get ready because of the activity the play had required and though he'd really wanted to argue (because he couldn't fucking care less if she had gotten a little sweaty during the play), he'd gone with it because tonight was her first time and he wanted her to feel comfortable. Besides, it let him run the errand he hadn't had time for before the play.

When Berry answered the door, he could practically feel the tension rolling off of her in waves. He really hoped she didn't have fucking second thoughts (but if she did, he knew he wouldn't pressure her).

She smiled nervously up at him. "Come on in Noah."

One arm behind his back, he stepped inside.

"Umm. You can go up to my room. I'm just going to grab a bottle of water from the fridge, okay?"

He nodded and when she disappeared down the hallway, he climbed the stairs to her room. He took up a spot next to the door and held out his test results and the flowers he'd had hidden behind his back (a dozen gerber daisies in different colors) in front of the door so that she'd see them when she came in. When she stepped through the door, she let out a gasp.

"Oh, Noah. They're gorgeous!"

She cradled the flowers against her chest and he took the two waters from her (she must have brought him one too).

"I heard that flowers were traditional after a play debut. I know they're not roses, but I thought you'd like these better," he admitted, running a hand over his mohawk. He felt like a pussy, but he also knew the flowers would make her happy. "And the paper is my test results just so you can see that I'm telling the truth."

She stood on her tiptoes to press her lips to his. "You were right about the flowers. I've got to put them in water; I'll be right back."

She hurried out of the room, so he crossed to the bed and set the two bottles of water on the nightstand. Then he kicked off his shoes and sprawled out on her bed, his hands behind his head. _May as well get comfortable_.

Rachel walked back into the room a short time later, the flowers arranged in a vase that she set on her desk. She then studied the results that he had handed her with the flowers, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth before she nodded and placed the paper next to the vase. She came across the room and sat down on the edge of the bed. He could see that her spine was stiff so he knew that she was uncomfortable. Sitting up, he moved closer to her.

"If you're not ready for this Rachel, we can wait. I want you to be absolutely fucking sure that this is what you want," he said very seriously, cupping her chin and running his finger lightly over the fading bruise.

She was silent for so long that he was sure she had changed her mind.

"Why don't we just go downstairs and watch a movie or something?" he suggested, getting off the bed.

He was halfway to the door when she grabbed his arm and pulled him to a stop. He stood stunned as she crossed in front of him and pushed her door shut. She leaned back against it and looked up at him through her lashes.

"I am very sure that this is what I want Noah," she said in a husky voice that made him instantly hard.

He didn't move because he didn't want to scare her off, but it turned out he didn't have to. She stepped up to him and pushed him back until his knees hit the bed behind him and he toppled backward. He let out a grunt as he landed and she giggled and climbed onto the bed to straddle his hips. He was momentarily dazed by the way she was smiling down at him and then her smile turned into a frown.

"You have a black eye. Have you been fighting?"

_Shit_. He'd forgotten about that.

"Sorry babe. After the game today Jack snuck up on me and fuckin' punched me. I couldn't just let that go, so I punched him a couple of times, but I swear to God that I didn't start it," he confessed. He really hoped this didn't fucking ruin their night.

She tilted her head to one side as if considering what he'd said before she nodded.

"I understand; it was self-defense," she said. "But you must be in so much pain right now."

When she circled her pelvis against him, he groaned and grabbed her hips.

"You have no fucking idea babe."

She leaned down and whispered, "Actually I think I do." Then she licked the shell of his ear.

He tightened his hands on her hips when she circled them over him again. She pressed a kiss to the corner of his black eye before nibbling on his lower lip and running her hands up his chest over his shirt. Shit, she was in a playful mood and that meant she'd probably kill him before he got any relief (but he'd sure as hell die happy). She readjusted her lips so that they were slanted over his and slid her tongue against them. He opened his mouth to let her in and she immediately took control of the kiss. He was so involved with the feel of her tongue sliding against his and the taste of her strawberry lip gloss that he didn't even notice she'd run her hands under his shirt until she tugged on his nipple ring (he fucking loved when she did that).

When he slid his hands under her shirt, she pulled both her lips and her hands from him. She grabbed both of his wrists and removed his hands from her body and he groaned at the loss of contact.

"Babe, what the hell?"

She smirked down at him (it was fucking hot that she used his smirk now).

"This is my first time, so I think I should be in charge of tonight's activities, don't you?" she asked innocently.

_Fuck. She was taking control?_ His jeans were suddenly much tighter.

"Shit babe, whatever you say," he agreed readily.

She smiled down at him. "Good. You're not going to touch me until I tell you that you can."

He didn't know how in the hell he was going to do that with his palms itching to cup her boobs, but he nodded against the bed anyway.

That was what she wanted because she released his wrists and pressed her lips to his in another heated kiss. When she pulled the hem of his shirt up, he sat up so that she could pull it over his head. She placed one small warm hand over his heart and pressed him back down. She ground her hips against him and trailed kisses down his neck. When she bit down on his collarbone and sucked, he knew that she was marking him and that was hot as hell.

She eventually moved on to tug his nipple ring between her teeth and scrape her nail across his other nipple. When she started to slide down his legs, and massaged him through his jeans with her free hand, he had to breathe deeply in an attempt to keep in control. Fuck, he was going to lose his shit before she even got him out of his jeans.

She continued to rub him while she kissed and licked her way down his chest and stomach to the waistband of his jeans. When she popped the button tonight and placed a kiss below it, he didn't stop her. He knew she had expected him to from the way she met his eyes. He also saw that for all the confidence she had shown, she was unsure of herself. She was just so good with him that it was easy to forget that she's a virgin.

"You're doing fucking awesome babe. Keep going; show me those tips you got off the internet," he panted out.

He knew he'd said the right thing because the confidence came back into those huge brown eyes of hers and she smiled. She inched his zipper down, placing a kiss to every inch of skin that she revealed. When she backed all the way down him, he let out a fucking whimper (talk about sounding like a pussy), but he couldn't help it. Her mouth was so close to where he needed it and then she stopped touching him completely.

He heard Rachel cry out and then a loud thump. Sitting up, he looked over the edge of the bed and saw that she was sitting on her butt on the floor. He couldn't help the laughter that came out. He'd forgotten that he was still lying sideways on the bed and apparently she had too since she had clearly fallen off. Luckily, instead of getting pissed, she giggled.

"Wow, that was so very sexy of me," she said sarcastically between giggles, getting to her feet and rubbing her butt where she had landed on it.

"Shit babe, it is fucking sexy that you can laugh at yourself like this," he reassured her. He loved that he could laugh with her even during sex.

She moved to the side of the bed. "Center of the bed Noah. I'd rather not fall off it again tonight."

Still chuckling, he complied with her directions and moved so that he was in the center of the bed with his head on her pillow. She climbed back onto the bed and moved over to him again. When she reached him, she slid her fingers under the waistband of his jeans and yanked them down, him lifting his hips to help her out. He watched as her eyes again went wide at the sight of his fully erect cock (even the break during her fall hadn't diminished anything there). He knew that he was fairly impressive and he loved that he clearly topped what little competition she'd seen. When she licked her lips while she stared down at him, he groaned.

Sitting on her knees next to his cock, she met his eyes uncertainly again and he realized that this really would be the very first blow job she'd ever given. That definitely gave him a feeling of immense fucking pride.

"It's okay babe. Just be careful with your teeth and whatever you do will be fucking awesome."

She rolled her eyes at him with an exasperated grin even as she ran her palm over the precum that had already leaked out before gripping him and stroking him just the way he liked. _She was a fucking fast learner_, he thought as he moaned. He wanted to grab the back of her head, but remembering her orders from earlier, he grasped her comforter in both hands. Locking her eyes with his, she bent down and took in the head of his dick. As she slowly took each inch of him into her mouth, he fought the urge to thrust up. Her mouth was just so warm and moist and her tongue was so fucking busy (and damn flexible). It was wrapped around the front of his cock so that it rubbed along each inch that she pulled in. She kept her grasp around the base and right as he felt his cock hit her throat, she pulled back up, dragging her teeth very lightly against him. That was a fucking risky move and he didn't know how in the hell she knew just the right amount of teeth to use on him. She let go of him with an audible pop, though she kept her hand curled around the base.

She cocked her head to one side and thoughtfully said, "You taste good Noah. I think I'm going to like performing fellatio on you."

He nearly laughed at that (_really, that was such a Berry word to use for it; she couldn't just say that she would like sucking him off or anything else normal_).

"Oh, you can touch me now if you want," she added with a grin, before bending back over his cock.

This time when she took him into her mouth, she did so more quickly. She started bobbing her head on him applying a sucking with every upward motion and her tongue was fucking everywhere (all that talking had obviously made it very flexible). The things she was doing to him were fucking amazing and, leaning up on one arm, he buried a hand in her hair, holding it back so that he could watch as he disappeared into her mouth. When she locked her dark brown eyes with his, he felt it to his very soul and nearly came right then. Keeping eye contact with him, she took him all the way in until he actually slipped down the back of her throat. She held him there for two seconds before she eased off of him so that she could breathe. One of her hands began to fondle his balls. Then she slid him down her throat again and this time she swallowed. When her throat muscles tightened around him, he moaned.

"Fuck."

She eased back again far enough to run her tongue over his slit gathering up the liquid there and he felt a shudder run over his body. He knew that he was getting fucking close to losing it, but he also knew that he could handle a little bit more. He brushed her hair back again, and keeping their eyes locked, she pulled him back down her throat and swallowed again. When her hand slid behind his balls and she pressed down with her finger, he nearly jerked. _What in the hell had she just done?_ He could see her eyes shining with pride as she moved him back out of her throat. Stroking her tongue up him, she sucked on him again and pressed down in that same spot. He moaned and felt his balls tighten.

"Fuck Rachel I'm going to cum. You need to..." he trailed off when she hummed on him and pushed in behind his balls again, her eyes still locked with his. "If you don't let me go..." he started frantically, pulling back on her hair. She just gave another hard suck and pushed yet again.

His balls drew up and he came hard, one hand twisted in her hair and the other still supporting him so he could watch her.

"_Racheeeellll....._" he moaned out long and low.

Her eyes were wide as she swallowed the streams of liquid that issued from him. Once he had stopped, she let go of him and then swiped her tongue along his length to clean him off.

Wiping her wet mouth with the back of her hand, she crawled up the bed to stop on her knees next to his waist.

"Was it okay?"

Puck let out a shaky laugh. He couldn't fucking move and she wanted to know if she'd done _okay_?

"Babe that was the best fucking blow job I've ever had. You are a fucking natural; and I love that you cared enough to research it beforehand. It's so going into the rotation if you liked it well enough." He met her eyes. "And be fucking honest; if you hated that, then I need to know because I'm not going to make you do anything you don't enjoy."

She smiled shyly at him (his heart fucking warmed at that). "I liked it more than I thought I would, and I wouldn't mind doing it again, but, ummm...does that mean we're done for tonight because you're not really hard anymore and I read that it sometimes takes a while for guys to recover. Not that I would regret it even if we are done, it's just that I was kind of looking forward to..."

Puck rolled his eyes while she rambled. Now that she wasn't touching him, she was getting fucking nervous again. Catching her off balance mid-ramble, he tackled her onto the bed and kissed her, shutting her up.

He pulled back. "Babe, give me a few minutes of exploring that gorgeous body of yours and I'll be ready to go again in no time because there is no way I'm leaving here tonight without fucking you. _As promised_," he hissed the last two words against her ear and she moaned.

ooooo

While Noah kissed her until she was breathless, Rachel wondered why she had ever been so nervous about tonight. This was Noah, the man she loved (she had come to terms with it over the last week); there was nothing to be nervous about. He had proven that when she had fallen off the bed. She was sure she had just ruined everything, but he laughed and told her she was sexy for being able to laugh at herself and she had fallen just a little deeper in love with him. And bringing him to completion as she had was one of the most satisfying moments of her life (_so far_), especially because it was her very first try.

As Noah's tongue played against hers, she wrapped her arms around his neck and lost herself to the sensations. He had propped himself up with one arm and he smoothed the other hand down her side. When he broke the kiss to sit up, pulling her up with him, he gripped the bottom of her shirt and pulled it over head. He tossed it to the side and stared at her black lace bra.

"So sexy," he groaned out, moving forward to crowd her back against the headboard.

When her back hit the wood, he leaned forward and bit and sucked at her pulse point, marking her as she had marked him earlier. Her head thumped back against the headboard at the feel of it. Reaching up, he cupped her through her bra and stroked his thumb over her nipple, which pebbled. He repeated the action on the other side and then he unsnapped the front clasp one-handed.

"Talented," she complimented him with a grin, leaning forward so that her bra fell down her arms. She dropped it over the side of the bed.

He smirked back at her, eyes shining with humor. "You know it babe."

Her laughter turned into a moan when he circled his tongue around one of her nipples and rolled the other between his fingers. Then he switched sides and she let out another moan. She fisted one hand in his mohawk (_she loved to do that_) and danced her fingers over the muscles in his back, feeling them jerk beneath her touch.

"Babe?"

Rachel looked down at Noah who had turned his face up to hers. "Hmm?" She was too dazed to be any more creative than that.

"I think we should move this off the comforter and onto the sheets. Just in case..." he trailed off, but she understood. He didn't want to damage her comforter and that was a very sweet thing for him to think about.

They both got off the bed and he pushed the comforter and top sheet to the foot of it. Then he sat down on the side of the bed and tugged her between his thighs by her waistband. He pressed a kiss to her stomach.

"Why did you wear jeans tonight?" he asked, sliding the button free.

She grinned playfully down at him. "I just thought you might appreciate it more if you had to work a little harder for it."

He stopped in the middle of unzipping her to meet her eyes. His hazel-turned-green eyes were completely earnest. "Don't ever fucking believe that I don't appreciate you. I value a hell of a lot more about you than just the sex stuff, so don't forget that."

Noah finished unzipping her jeans. "Although I sure as hell enjoy the sex stuff," he added, making her giggle.

He pushed her jeans over her hips and down her legs and she stepped out of them so that she was standing there in just her panties.

"Shit, Rach, black lace panties too? Are you trying to kill me?" he groaned out, resting his forehead against her stomach.

She gave a nervous laugh and ran one hand over his mohawk. "I once read that black lace panties were a sign that one wanted to have sex. Given the circumstances, it seemed appropriate for tonight."

"Your very own symbol of courage," he finished, his voice muffled as he pressed another kiss to her stomach.

She loved that he understood her so completely. "Yeah," she agreed softly.

He lifted his head to meet her eyes. "Do you have enough courage now?"

She smiled and nodded, so he ran his fingers under the waistband of her panties and slid them down her legs too. She felt nervous standing there in front of him, completely naked, so relief rushed through her when he spoke.

"Fuck Rachel, I know I've said it before, but you really are gorgeous."

He surprised her when he stood up and grasped her waist. He tossed her onto the bed and she laughed when she bounced upon landing. The laughter died in her throat when he crawled onto the bed after her, fire in his eyes. He sucked her lower lip between his teeth and she could feel his hard length pressed against her hip. He had clearly recovered. He trailed a hand down her stomach to her core and slid his finger along her clit to the slit below. Sliding one finger into her, he tested her readiness and she bucked up against him.

"You're so fucking wet for me Rach. You're fucking ready for this, aren't you?" he asked huskily, releasing her lower lip.

She moaned against his mouth. "Yes, I am."

Noah shifted so that he rested between her thighs, which she spread further apart to give him enough room. She could feel him pressed against her heated center.

"Are you fucking sure about this Rachel?" His eyes were locked to hers.

Staring up at him, knowing that he was willing to stop even now if she wasn't ready, she knew this was right.

"I'm sure Noah," she panted out.

Bracing himself on one arm over her and leaning down, he took her mouth again. As their tongues swirled together, he guided himself into her. He pressed slowly in, letting her grow accustomed to his girth with each additional inch, until he was buried within her to the hilt. She was very glad that her vibrator had taken care of the physical aspect of her virginity or she knew that this would hurt like hell. Instead she just felt very full. He held himself completely still.

"Are you okay Rachel?"

"Oh, yes, please Noah, you have to move," she pleaded, clutching at his back.

He gave a strangled chuckle. "Whatever you say babe." He groaned. "I'm glad we waited. I can feel every fucking inch of you around me."

He slid nearly all the way out before thrusting forward slowly again. After he did this two more times, Rachel wrapped her legs around his waist and dug her heels into his ass.

"Damn it Noah. Faster and harder."

"Shit Rach, I don't want to hurt you," he groaned out.

As he pulled back out almost all the way, she murmured in his ear. "I'm not going to break."

That was all the encouragement he needed because he slammed into her harder and faster that time and she whimpered at the feel. He set up a steady rhythm that drove her to the brink of insanity. When he changed the angle of his hips so that he brushed that wonderful spot inside of her, she started a constant moaning, her nails digging into his back.

"Oh my God Noah."

"Fuck Rach, you're so fucking tight and wet. I don't think I can..."

Trailing off, he reached between their bodies and rubbed frantic circles over her clit with his thumb. The tension that had built in her stomach snapped with three more strokes and her back bowed off the bed as she screamed his name While she clenched around him, she dragged her nails down the muscles in his back, trying to find purchase.

Her orgasm milked his from him and as her name was pulled from him in a guttural cry, she felt the warmth of his seed filling her. It wasn't like anything that she had ever experienced before. It was very intimate.

Her body was still shuddering when he collapsed on top of her. He didn't leave his weight on her for very long though before he pulled out of her, causing her to wince, and rolled onto his side to face her. He gazed down at her.

"Are you okay Rachel?"

She groaned. "I don't think I can move."

He chuckled. "I told you that would happen and I wasn't fucking lying."

"Clearly." She grimaced. "I feel sticky but I don't think I have the energy to get out of bed to clean up."

Noah didn't say a word; he just got of bed and crossed to her bathroom. She heard the sound of a couple of drawers opening and then of water running. When he came back, he was holding a damp washcloth. He climbed back onto the bed and gently washed off both her inner thighs and between them so that she felt somewhat cleaner again (though they were both completely slicked with sweat). She had to smile at the tender way he took care of her; maybe Brittany and Santana were right and he did love her. He also cleaned himself off and then dropped the washcloth to the floor with their clothing.

Rachel turned to face Noah and he slid close to her. He reached down and pulled the blankets up over the two of them before gathering her into his arms.

"I need to leave before your dads get home," Noah muttered against the top of her head. "But I can probably afford a short nap."

Rachel rested her head on top of his chest as she had the last time he was in her bed and yawned. "Okay, just wake me up before you leave."

"Of course babe. I would never sneak out on you." He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "Go to sleep Rach."

She didn't need anymore encouragement. She let her eyes droop shut and within minutes both of them were asleep.

ooooo

The best night of Puck's life came to an abrupt end a mere two hours later. Apparently he was so comfortable sleeping with Rachel that his normal self-preservation reflex didn't kick in because this was what jolted both of them awake:

"Darren, get my damn shotgun!"


	14. Chapter 14

Spoilers: Only up to 'Sectionals' though stuff from the back 9 may pop in if I think it fits with my plot line.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot. Also, some of this is from Puck's viewpoint, and he's kind of an offensive guy, so I'd like to point out that his viewpoints don't always reflect mine. I don't own either of the songs included.

A/N: Okay, this is the penultimate chapter. It is shorter than normal and perhaps the one I'm least happy with out of the whole story, but it gets everyone where they need to be for the final chapter, which will hopefully be better than I feel this one is. Also, thank you to everyone who's reading and reviewing the story. As always, please read and review. Reviews are a much healthier form of crack, I swear. Thanks!

"Dad! I really think you're overreacting!"

Puck was sitting on the couch in the Berrys' living room well after midnight. Luckily, despite Charlie's request for his shotgun, he was still bullet free. Darren had interfered and protected Puck from the worst of Charlie's rage. He had very calmly instructed Puck and Rachel to get dressed and come downstairs before dragging Charlie out of Rachel's bedroom.

Now, they were downstairs and Charlie and Rachel were apparently trying to see who could scream the loudest. So far, Puck had stayed out of the line of fire simply because Rachel hadn't let Charlie's attention drift away from her. The guy was putting up a good effort (he kept trying to say that Rachel was forbidden to see Puck), but there was no doubt that Rachel had the lung capacity in the family (_fuck yeah, she did_-he knew that from firsthand experience now-_okay probably not the best time to think about that_). From Darren's long-suffering expression, Puck knew that shouting matches between Charlie and Rachel probably happened on a regular basis.

"I am sixteen years old. I am old enough to make my own decisions and if I want to have sex with Noah, then I will. There's nothing you can do to stop me!" she argued with him.

A vein started throbbing in Charlie's forehead and Puck wondered if he could get Rachel out of the house before her dad's head exploded. She was Jewish, so he was pretty sure his mom wouldn't complain if he just moved her in.

"I can ground you for the rest of your life, Rachel Barbra Berry! You won't see this...this hooligan for the rest of the summer and only at school after that," he threatened.

That was fucking unfair. This guy didn't know a fucking thing about him. He would have said so, but Rachel was already talking again (it had nothing to do with the fact that the dude scared the shit out of him because he didn't. _Really_).

Rachel crossed her arms over her chest. "You don't know anything about him! Maybe if you'd stop judging him you'd learn that he's a really good guy."

Puck smiled slightly at that, but the smile was wiped off his face with Charlie's next words.

"You think we haven't heard the rumors that go around the temple? We know his history with the middle aged women in town. How can you ensure that he's not just using you and now that's he's gotten what he wanted he won't leave? How do you know that he won't give you something? How do you know that he won't get you pregnant like he did Quinn?" Charlie shot the questions at Rachel so quickly that it nearly made Puck sick to hear all of his faults listed at once. Her dads had liked Quinn so much so quickly that he has thought that they didn't know about the baby.

Rachel was silent for several moments, and Puck worried that her dad had succeeded in breaking them up (and that would be a fucking shame because they had just learned that they were as good together in bed as they were everywhere else). Finally, Rachel spoke up quietly.

"I don't know that he won't leave," she started and Puck felt his heart break a little. "But I trust that he won't; he's not the same guy that he was in the past. I know that he's going to stick around. He won't give me anything; he got tested and the results came back today. In fact, the paper is upstairs on my desk. I'm on the pill; I have been since I started dating Finn months ago. And, if that fails, then Noah and I will face it together. He won't abandon me; he didn't abandon Quinn and they weren't even dating like we are."

The fact that Rachel had that much faith in him to stick around and that she would defend him to her scary dad meant more to him than he wanted to admit.

"Rachel, you're letting your heart..." Charlie started to say.

Puck turned his face to Rachel so quickly that he felt his neck crick. _Rachel's heart?_

A stricken expression appeared on her face and she cut her dad off, laying a hand on his arm. "You've always said that you trust me. You still do, don't you? Or has that changed?"

Puck watched Charlie frown and some of the anger left his face. "Of course I trust you Rachel."

She moved back to stand next to where Puck was sitting and took his hand, twining their fingers together, but she never took her eyes off Charlie.

"Then please, let me make my own choices. You've already ruined one of the best nights of my life by acting the way you have. Tonight was my very first time and it was marred by you threatening to shoot my boyfriend. Noah doesn't deserve that and neither do I. Just give him a chance like Daddy has. He might surprise you."

Puck tried not to smirk (trusting Rachel or not, he was pretty sure Charlie _would_ shoot him if he showed any happiness right now). His girl was ferocious when she wanted something; he was just glad Charlie was on the receiving end of it this time. He also knew it was pointless to fight and he could tell the instant Charlie realized it because that was when he turned his gaze to Puck.

"Fine. If you're going to be around, then I should make the effort. So, you're going to come to lunch tomorrow before Rachel's first show."

Charlie still looked completely pissed at him, so Puck knew better than to argue with his demand. It wasn't like he had anything to do tomorrow anyway.

He nodded. "Yes sir."

Charlie stormed out of the room, still clearly pissed. Darren, who had been silent throughout the confrontation, stood up from his chair.

"It's past curfew; does your mom know where you are Noah?"

Puck shook his head. "She doesn't, but nobody's home tonight. She's working the night shift and my sister's at a friend's house."

Darren looked thoughtful. "We don't want you to get in trouble with the cops for being out after curfew, so you can stay here tonight. You'll be in the guest room and if you don't want to ruin your chance to get into Charlie's good graces, then you need to stay in the guest room. Rachel's bedroom is off limits. And, don't argue Rachel," he added sternly.

Puck watched with amusement as her mouth snapped closed. Apparently she had no trouble fighting with Charlie, but Darren could easily shut her up. He had to get Darren to teach him how to do that.

Rachel led him upstairs to the guest bedroom and kissed him goodnight before retreating to her room. As Puck laid down on the large bed, he realized that even though he had been caught multiple times before with other girls, this was the first time he had stayed and faced the dad. It hadn't even occurred to him to run for it. _Shit_. Rachel was right; he had changed and he was pretty sure it started when she reentered his life for good.

He didn't leave the guest room once that night; he didn't want to test Charlie's restraint (or Darren's for that matter-he'd never seen the dude mad, so he was pretty sure the guy would scare the shit out of him if Puck ever made him mad).

ooooo

The next several weeks passed by quickly for Rachel. The show was running every weekend through the end of August, so she performed twice every Saturday and Sunday. Noah was in the audience for every Saturday night show and she always felt that was the one she did the best in simply because he was there. The director continued with their practices throughout the week, though the schedule was never as harsh as the week before they opened.

Her free time was spent with her friends and Noah, of course. She and Brittany continued to go to the baseball games and cheer on Puck and Mike. In fact, Britt had embarrassed her terribly the first game after she and Noah had sex. Rachel had sat down next to her, only to have Brittany take one look at her and yell 'Oh my God! You had sex!'. Everyone in the immediate vicinity had turned to look at her and Rachel knew that her entire face was red. Brittany had also turned pink and apologized before asking her, very quietly, how it was. Rachel had just as quietly responded that it was wonderful and left it at that. Britt hadn't pushed her on the subject, merely beamed at her.

Quinn had actually joined the two of them at the games so that she could cheer on Matt. Apparently the two of them had been dating since mid-June, but they kept it quiet because they wanted to make sure that what they had together was real and not just because the two of them and Santana were the only ones not dating someone within their group. According to Quinn, what she had with Matt actually was very real and she was happier than she'd been in a very long time. She was also terrified of how her parents would respond when they found out that she was dating Matt. According to her, they weren't too big on interracial couples and she was scared that they would throw her out again (they had taken her back in after she gave her daughter up for adoption). She knew her dads were very fond of the other girl because they always fawned over her when all the girls were over (according to Daddy, they could tell that she lacked the true, unconditional love of a parent in her life), so Rachel expressed Quinn's concerns to her dads. They told her to let the blonde know that she could have the guest bedroom at their house if her parents did kick her out.

The second week of August, Quinn moved in.

Living with Quinn was a little weird at first; Rachel was so used to being the center of her dads' attentions that it took some adjustment before she was used to no longer being an only child. Luckily, she and Quinn got along really well now, so that helped. The blonde spent the first couple of days after she moved in crying and Rachel couldn't blame her for that; it had to be difficult to have your parents kick you out twice within a year. It made her even more grateful for her dads and the love they showed her. On her third day at their house, Quinn grew more comfortable, and Rachel was delighted to find that she secretly loved musicals every bit as much as Rachel. She knew that no one would ever take Britt's spot as her best friend (she was Rachel's very first real friend after all), but Quinn was in a close second.

That wasn't the only change around their house. Both Matt and Noah had become permanent fixtures. In addition, Daddy, who was always quite handy, installed a lock on her door. Noah had worried about Dad's response to that, but according to Daddy, they had decided that if they couldn't prevent the two of them having sex, they could at least ensure that they had somewhere safe to do it. Her fathers didn't want the two of them to get caught by the cops because they were having car sex somewhere (she kept the fact that they had truck sex frequently out by the lake to herself). That had been a mortifying conversation for them to have with Daddy and she was very glad that Dad hadn't been there for it. He still had a tendency to look like he wanted to kill Noah anytime they were in the same room, though he was also clearly trying to give him a chance. Noah and Daddy had a great friendship now though; she often caught them in serious discussions (she was glad too; she knew Noah needed a male influence in his life who he could trust).

Her relationship with Noah just kept getting better and better. She knew she loved him of course, but with each day, she grew more and more sure that he loved her just as much. He was still a complete jackass with everyone else for the most part, but he was very sweet with her. The sex also seemed to get better with each time. Sometimes it was playful and sweet like their first time; other times it was hot and hard. Either way, it was always fantastic. At one point, he had told her that his goal was to get her to say 'Oh, God Noah please fuck me harder'. She felt like her life couldn't get much better (though he still hadn't gotten that sentence, or the f-word, out of her yet).

ooooo

"Noah," Rachel moaned out.

Noah's house was empty, so they were in his bedroom. His hands were gripping her hips and he was guiding her movements on his cock. As he guided her back down, he drove his hips up to meet her and she let out another moan. Her breath was coming faster and she knew that she was getting close. When he lifted his torso so that he was sitting up, it changed the angle that she was riding him and he started to hit her g-spot with each thrust. He leaned forward and took her lips with his, meshing their tongues together as she dug her nails into his shoulders.

He let out a strangled sound as he came and the feel of his warmth flooding her set her off, his mouth catching her cries.

"Noah, I got off a litt...Noah!"

The high of her orgasm rushed away as quickly as it had come when Rachel glanced at the door and saw Noah's mother standing there, a shocked expression on her face.

"Shit!" Noah grabbed the blankets and pulled them up over Rachel as she buried her face in his chest.

She hadn't actually met Noah's mother yet; she merely recognized her from temple. Noah had wanted to introduce them, but she and his mom were never available at the same time. She had thought that when she did meet Ms. Puckerman, she would be fully dressed though!

"I'll just let the two of you get dressed. Noah, I expect both of you downstairs in five minutes."

When the door shut again, Noah lowered the blankets back off of her. Rachel lifted herself up so that he slid out of her and climbed off the bed. Grabbing some wet naps from her purse (she always carried plenty), they both cleaned off and redressed. Noah came over and wrapped his arms around her.

"It's gonna be okay Rach," he said, dropping a kiss on the top of her head.

Rachel could feel her cheeks flaming as she buried her face in his chest again. "I don't see how; she just saw me naked. At least when Dad caught us, we were asleep and covered by the blankets."

"Just trust me on this babe. The instant she recognizes you from temple, she'll be so happy you're Jewish that she'll ignore that we were having sex. Hell, she'll probably start planning a wedding," he reassured her, pulling back to grab her hand and lead her downstairs.

To her immense surprise, it went every bit as smoothly as he had predicted it would. When Diana figured out that she was Jewish, she had beamed widely and immediately invited Rachel to dinner the next night. Rachel quickly learned that she loved Noah's mom and his little sister Leah. They came to her play and gushed over her talent and they were just generally wonderful people. Plus, Noah was clearly terrified of his mom and that amused her to no end. Even though Rachel had met Diana for the first time after she caught them having sex, Diana never brought that up again.

A brand new lock did appear on Noah's door shortly after though.

ooooo

Before Puck knew it, it was the first day of school. He was fucking depressed about it, but at least it was his senior year and he wouldn't have to come back next year, unlike Rachel. He picked her up that morning, waving at Quinn who was sitting on the porch waiting for Matt.

"Do you think Mr. Schuester will call for a glee practice tomorrow?" she asked excitedly while he drove them to school.

"Hell, Rach, how should I know?"

He let her chatter wash over him as he drove, as they walked into school, an arm around her shoulders, and as he followed her to her locker, miraculously void of graffiti (she was in a very fucking talkative mood; he didn't mind though because he was convinced it was why her tongue was so damn flexible). When she followed him to his locker, they found Kerie Lochlin waiting for him. Ignoring Rachel, the blonde smiled at him.

"Hi, Puck. What are you doing free period?" she asked seductively.

He opened his mouth to turn her down, but Rachel caught him by surprise first. She moved against him and wrapped her arm around his waist, slipping her hand into his front pocket (he was fucking glad her present was in the other pocket). She hadn't said a thing, but from the look on Kerie's face, she got the point.

"Are you and Berry dating?" she questioned, her eyes wide with shock.

He smirked smugly. "Yeah, we sure as hell are."

"We've actually been together since July, so if you could just spread it around to all of your little friends that I'm the only one who will be having sex with him from now on, that would be great," Rachel piped up in a sweet voice next to him.

He looked down at her. She had an innocent smile on her face, but the look in her eyes was fucking scary (it was also fucking hot that she was claiming him for all to see).

Kerie stuttered out a yes before taking off.

The instant she was gone, Rachel let go and stepped in front of him. Her arms were crossed as she glared up at him.

"I want to get one thing straight. Just in case you don't already know, this thing between us is exclusive so there will be no sluts this year for you."

He moved forward and backed her against his locker. "Babe, you're almost too fucking much for me. Where in the hell would I find the energy to fuck anyone else?"

She was still frowning up at him, so he sighed. "I don't want anyone else; you should fucking know that by now."

Her frown turned into a smile. "It's just nice to hear it."

When she pulled his lips down to hers right there in the middle of the hall, he decided to tell her more often (though he shouldn't fucking have to, he thought, running a finger over the item in his front pocket).

ooooo

Rachel had split up from Noah when the final bell rang after math (they had somehow wound up in the same math class again) so that they could both hit their lockers and leave the school earlier. It had been an interesting day. The girls loathed her even more now than ever before and the boys were curious about her. She knew they were wondering what she had done to get Noah Puckerman, the school manslut, to commit exclusively to her. Honestly, sometimes Rachel wondered that herself, but she was so happy that she preferred not to question it. She also noticed that everyone was giving Jack a wide berth. When she saw him get slushied after lunch, she felt momentarily upset for him, but then she remembered the fear that was only just now fading and knew it was no more than he deserved. Rachel was also excited because Mr. Shuester had found her after fifth period and told her that the glee club was meeting for the first time that year after school the following day. She couldn't wait to start working on their brand new material for Sectionals. They were in a short four months after all.

She was completely absorbed in the list of songs that she was going to suggest to Mr. Schuester so at first she didn't notice that Kurt and Mercedes were at Noah's locker with him. When she did, she wondered what they were talking about; she didn't think that Noah had talked to them all summer. As she walked up, she could see that not one of them had noticed her yet. She quickly found herself within hearing range and came to a stop when she heard her name.

"...Rachel. I'm just trying to point out that when we asked you to sleep with her back before Regionals, we meant for that to be a short term arrangement," Kurt was saying.

Mercedes nodded. "You don't have to keep spending time with her anymore. Regionals are long over."

"Although if you could have sex with her near Sectionals, that would be great. I'm sure she'll need to relax again as they draw nearer," Kurt added.

Rachel came to a halt. _What were they talking about? They had asked Noah to sleep with her before Regionals?_

"Back off guys," Noah said. Rachel could see that he was frowning. "Sure, when I started spending time with her, it was just because you asked me to relax her, but..."

Rachel tuned out the rest of what he said. She couldn't believe what she had just heard; all that time he spent pursuing her before Regionals was only because Kurt and Mercedes asked him to? She suddenly remembered her conversation with the girls from oh so long ago where Brittany had declared a new plan. She had felt like they were hiding something from her, and now she knew what it was. She was sure the entire glee club, all of her friends included, must have been in on the plan although it appeared that Kurt and Mercedes had instigated it. She could feel the tears prickling at her eyes. _Had her and Noah's entire relationship been nothing but a lie?_ Because it was clearly built on one.

She focused on Noah at the same time that he looked over and saw her. When their eyes met, she saw the panic that flared to life in his and he was at her side almost instantly, shoving Kurt out of the way.

"Shit babe, I didn't want you to find out like this. Their plan was the whole reason I started talking to you at first, but that hasn't mattered since you stopped dating Finn," he explained.

She stared up at him. She could see all of the emotions in his eyes, but she wasn't ready to deal with them right now. She needed to sort through her own feelings first.

"Babe, please, say something," Noah pleaded with her.

Rachel gazed up at him and quietly said, "I just...I just need some time. I can't be around you right now, okay? I'll get a ride home with Matt and Quinn."

She turned and walked away, her heart heavy, while he stared after her, his own heart in his eyes.

ooooo

When Matt dropped her and Quinn off at home, Rachel excused herself to her bedroom. She knew that Quinn was worried about her, but she didn't want to talk to anyone yet. She needed to deal with this in her own way; she needed music. As soon as she was in her room, she dug her I-Pod and docking station out of her bag and hooked them up. She scanned until she found the song she wanted and after the short intro, she started singing.

_What you see's not what you get  
With you there's just no measurement  
No way to tell what's real from what isn't there  
Your eyes they sparkle  
That's all changed into lies that drop like acid rain  
You washed away the best of me  
You don't care_

Rachel sighed and stopped the music. The song wasn't working for her because the truth was that she knew Noah cared about her no matter why he had started talking to her to begin with. She started scanning through her songs again, not looking for anything in particular. She figured that the right song would just pop out at her when she saw it. After a few moments, one song caught her attention and, although she wasn't sure if it fit her current situation, she went ahead and hit play. As she sang, she let all of her thoughts shut off while the music washed over her.

_So pretty  
So smart  
Such a waste of a young heart!  
What a pity  
What a sham  
What's the matter with you, man?_

Don't you see it's wrong  
Can't you get it right?  
Out of mind and outta sight  
Call on all your girls  
Don't forget the boys  
Put a lid on all that noise!

I'm a satellite heart  
Lost in the dark  
I'm spun out so far  
You stop, I start  
But I'll be true to you

I hear you're living out of state  
Running in a whole new scene  
They say I haven't slept in weeks  
You're the only thing I see

I'm a satellite heart  
Lost in the dark  
I'm spun out so far  
You stop, I start  
But I'll be true to you

I'm a satellite heart  
Lost in the dark  
I'm spun out so far  
You stop, I start  
But I'll be true to you  
No matter what you do

Yeah I'll be true to you  
  
When the music ended, Rachel realized that singing that song actually had helped her out. Did it really matter why Noah had asked her out the first time? If he didn't truly care about her, he never would have asked her to his first baseball game. He wouldn't have worked so hard to break her and Jack up. He certainly wouldn't have attended Grease six times just to support her or faced down Dad, shotgun threat and all, the night he caught them in bed together. She loved him and she knew that even if she broke up with him over this, she wouldn't stop loving him. She would always want him no matter how much distance there was between them. So she would move past the truth of why he pursued her in the beginning because it was completely irrelevant now.

She did wonder why he agreed to relax her in the first place though. She'd have to ask him tomorrow.

A/N 2: The song that Rachel sings the first verse of and then aborts is Kelly Clarkson's 'Gone'. The second song that she sings all the way through is 'Satellite Heart' by Anya Marina.


	15. Chapter 15

Spoilers: Only up to 'Sectionals' though stuff from the back 9 may pop in if I think it fits with my plot line.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot. Also, some of this is from Puck's viewpoint, and he's kind of an offensive guy, so I'd like to point out that his viewpoints don't always reflect mine. I don't own either of the songs included.

A/N: Here we go with the final chapter. I really hope the ending lives up to what you guys were expecting; I didn't want to go any further than the last line because I felt that would be stretching the story out for no reason other than to make it longer. I want to thank everyone who has read this story. You've been so supportive and your responses are the whole reason that I continue to share my writing. As always, please read and review. Even though this is the last chapter, I would still love to know what you think, not just about the chapter but about the whole story overall now that it's finished. Thanks! And I hope to see you at my next story!  
Singing key: _Rachel_ is italics, _**Cheerios + Tina **_are bold italics, and **Puck** is bold.

"Rachel, let us in!"

Rachel hadn't left her room since she had gotten home from school. She knew that Quinn was probably worried because she was so quiet on the ride home (not to mention that she had rode home with her and Matt instead of Noah), but she just wanted the night to herself. So, after she had finished singing, she had settled down behind her locked door to work on her homework (darn teachers; it was only the first day of school!). Quinn had knocked on her door to ask her if she wanted to do their homework together, but Rachel had told her that she just wanted to be alone.

The truth was that yes, she knew that she was going to move past today's discovery with Noah. She loved him and that was all there was to it. Finding out the truth had hurt though, especially knowing that all of her friends had been in on it and not one of them had bothered to tell her as they watched her fall for Noah. She just needed the night to reevaluate her relationships and reassure herself that her friends really are her friends.

What she hadn't counted on was Quinn being worried enough to call in the troops.

"Rachel Berry, I swear to God that if you don't let us in, we will break down this door!"

Rachel wouldn't have believed that statement if it hadn't come from Santana, but she knew the head Cheerio well enough to know that she would carry through on it. Sighing deeply, Rachel got up from her desk and unlocked and pulled the door open.

"What do you guys want?" she asked, annoyed.

"It's about damn time," Santana said, pushing past Rachel into her room. Brittany, Quinn, and Tina immediately followed. "Why in the hell did you lock yourself in here?"

Rachel rolled her eyes at the Latina. "I wanted some privacy. What's so wrong with that?"

Quinn huffed. "I have been living here for two weeks and the only times your door is ever not open is when you have Noah in here. So when you locked me out when I know that Noah isn't over, I got worried."

Brittany nodded, her ponytail bouncing. "So she called us to come over and help you with whatever it is that's bugging you."

"Nothing's bugging m..."

"Don't lie," Tina commanded. "Quinn told us that you ditched Puck at school. So, what's wrong?"

Rachel sighed again. She didn't really want to go into it, but she knew these girls well enough by now to know that they wouldn't leave her alone until they got the truth out of her.

"All of you told Noah to sleep with me before Regionals," she stated bluntly. Might as well just put it right out there for them to deal with.

Every single one of them immediately looked sheepish. While they exchanged a look, Rachel crossed her arms over her chest, waiting for their responses. Quinn spoke first.

"We did, but you have to understand that it was before any of us really knew you like we do now," she admitted.

That didn't make Rachel feel any better. "Why is that important? Didn't it occur to any of you that I have feelings just like everyone else and would be hurt when I found out what you had done?"

Santana frowned. "Honestly, Rachel, I never really thought about you having feelings. It's not like you ever act hurt even after everything we've done to you over the years."

"Just because you don't see it doesn't mean I don't feel it!" Rachel exclaimed.

"We know Rachel; we know that now more than ever before," Tina said, in an effort to calm her down. "And to be fair, I think Brittany did think about your feelings."

Rachel turned to her best friend to find her vigorously bobbing her head in agreement. "I really did. Kurt wanted to pay someone from the hockey team to have sex with you, but that was a really mean plan. So, I suggested Puck because he was our friend and I knew that I could ask him to not sleep with you. And I did, and he agreed not to."

"But we have slept together Britt, you know we have," she pointed out, cheeks heating up. She had never admitted this fact to Santana or Tina (Quinn had figured it out because they do live together after all). She could also feel a fury growing in her at Kurt. _He had wanted to pay someone to sleep with her?_

"I know, but I changed my mind at the 4th of July picnic," Brittany stated.

Rachel raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

The blonde grinned at her. "When you were talking to Jack," Santana let out a disgusted sound over his name and Brittany nodded at her, "I went back to the blankets and he asked me where you were. You should have seen his face when I told him that you were with Jack! I knew that he really cared about you then, so I gave him permission to go after you because you had just told me that you wanted him too. Oh, and I threatened to hurt him if he slept with you and then ditched you."

Rachel was touched that Brittany had been protecting her for so long, from both Kurt and Puck, but she had to ask her final question.

"Why didn't any of you tell me the truth after you saw how close I had gotten to Noah?"

They were again silent as they considered her question.

"It just didn't matter anymore," Quinn said thoughtfully.

Santana nodded in agreement. "It was obvious that he loves you and you love him, so why he started hanging out with you wasn't important."

"Can you honestly say that it makes a difference to where you are now?" Tina questioned her.

Rachel stared around at her friends and saw that each of them were giving her hopeful looks. Rachel sighed yet again.

"It doesn't. I had already decided that before you guys even came over. I know he loves me even if he hasn't said it yet, so what the glee club asked him to do doesn't matter anymore," she admitted.

They all smiled at her and then Brittany frowned.

"Do you forgive us for asking him to do it and for keeping it a secret?"

Rachel nodded. "I do, but no more secrets like that from now on, okay guys?"

"No problems there," Tina agreed.

"And risk getting kicked out of your house?" Quinn questioned at the same time, an incredulous expression on her face. "Your dads treat me like a princess and I actually kind of like living with you. It's like what having a sister should be since my sister and I have never been close."

Santana rolled her eyes and made a gagging sound over the mushiness. After Quinn and Rachel both hit her in either arm, she frowned. "How did you even find out about this whole thing?"

Rachel explained about the conversation she had overheard in the hallway. When she was done, all four of her friends wore identical scowls.

"They actually asked him to sleep with you near Sectionals?" Santana nearly growled out.

"Yeah, but I'm already sleeping with him, so it's not that big of a deal."

"But they don't know that," Quinn pointed out. "So it kind of is a big deal."

Brittany grinned in a way that made Rachel's skin crawl. "They must pay, and I think I know just how to do it."

"I don't want to hurt them guys," Rachel protested. "I mean, if they hadn't done what they did, then Noah and I wouldn't be together now."

"They were going to pay someone to sleep with you Rachel. And you were a virgin!" Santana reminded her passionately.

"You have to do something to pay them back," Tina agreed.

Rachel sighed. She knew that there was no changing their minds, so she might as well hear them out.

ooooo

"What the hell are you doing here?"

After Rachel had ditched him at school, he had driven home. He couldn't believe that he had probably just lost his girl. He knew that she didn't like to be lied to, especially after what Finn had done to her. He also knew that he wasn't going to let her go without putting up a fucking fight. When his doorbell had rang, he thought it might be Rachel giving him a chance to explain. Instead, he had opened the door to find Finn. _What the fuck?_

"Dude, we need to talk," Finn announced, shoving his way into Puck's house.

"No, we don't. Get the hell out," Puck growled at him. He sure as hell didn't want to talk to the guy that had caused Berry's trust issues.

Finn crossed his arms over his chest. "I'm here to help you and I'm not leaving."

Puck shut the front door (his ex-best friend was stupidly stubborn) and crossed his arms over his chest. "Why the fuck do you think I need help?"

"I know that Rachel came to school with you and left with Quinn and Matt. You know, I'm on the baseball team too; I saw the way you guys were over the summer. Dude, you've been happier with her than I can remember you being since your dad took off. And you make Rachel happier than she ever was with me. She loves you Puck; even I can see that. So, I'm here to help you get her back," he explained.

_Rachel loved him? Fuck yeah!_ Puck didn't say this though. Instead he frowned at the other boy. "You want to help me get Berry back? I don't get it; don't you love her?"

Finn ran a hand over the back of his neck. "A part of me always will, but I screwed up any chance I ever had with her when I screwed Santana. Besides, we broke up nearly four months ago. And, no matter what I did, I do want her to be happy. If that's with you, then so be it."

Puck was shocked. Apparently while he was so wrapped up in Rachel over the summer, Finn had grown up. He hadn't sounded like the brainless dope he normally did just now; he had actually sounded mature.

"Okay, what did you have in mind?"

Puck couldn't believe that he was letting Finn help him out, but he wasn't willing to give up Rachel for anything.

Finn smiled. "You know her better than anyone of course, but what do you think about...?"

While they started planning, Puck had to admit that it felt kind of awesome to have his friend back.

ooooo

When Rachel walked into glee practice the following day with the girls, she was highly annoyed. She was pretty sure that Noah had skipped school that day. She had been watching for him everywhere she went and hadn't spotted him even once all day. He didn't show up for math and Quinn had let her know that he wasn't in history. How was she supposed to tell him that nothing had changed between them if she couldn't even find him?

She took her seat in the front row between Quinn and Brittany and kept watch on the door. If Puck showed up, she was going to corner him and say what she needed to say. When Finn came in, he gave her a weird smile. _What was that about?_ Santana reached around Brittany and hit her in the shoulder, distracting her.

"Are you ready to have your say with Kurt and Mercedes?"

Rachel took her eyes off the door long enough to acknowledge Santana. "Yes, yes, I definitely am."

She was going to use this as an opportunity to get out her anger at the two of them over not just the whole paying someone to sleep with her issue, but also their whole attitude toward her in general.

When Mr. Schuester stepped to the front of the room, Noah still hadn't shown up and Rachel could feel her heart fall.

"Okay guys, Sectionals are in four months, so we have some time to start working on new material. I also think that we should look into recruiting some new members. We won Regionals last year, but we definitely don't want to get too comfortable," he started.

Rachel's hand shot up. "Mr. Schuester!"

"Yes, Rachel?"

She could see the barely leashed irritation in his face, but she wasn't about to let that deter her.

"I have a number that I would like to perform."

Without waiting for him to give her the okay, she hopped up and hooked her I-Pod and docking station up. After she found the right song and hit play, she faced the rest of the glee club (she noticed that Noah had snuck in while she was busy with her I-Pod). After the guitar opening, she started singing.

_Can't make my own decisions  
Or make any with precision  
Well maybe you should tie me up  
So I don't go where you don't want me_

You say that I been changing  
that I'm not just simply aging  
Yeah how could that be logical?  
Just keep on cramming ideas down my throat  
  
While she was singing, she noticed that Noah was watching her closely, and she knew that he was wondering if this song was directed at him. She didn't want him to worry and at the chorus, she started moving toward Kurt and Mercedes.

_You don't have to believe me  
But the way I, way I see it  
Next time you point a finger  
I might have to bend it back  
Or break it, break it off  
Next time you point a finger  
I'll point you to the mirror_

She had focused her attention completely on the two. Kurt sneered at her, but Mercedes' eyes had widened.

_If God's the game you're playing  
Well we must get more acquainted  
Because it has to be so lonely  
To be the only one who's holy_

It's just my humble opinion  
But it's one that I believe in  
You don't deserve a point of view  
If the only thing you see is you

From the way Mercedes was looking at her, Rachel knew that she had gotten the point of this whole song. Kurt still had his nose in the air though (literally, and_ really?_), and as he was the worse of the two, Rachel focused her attention exclusively on him.

_You don't have to believe me  
But the way I, way I see it  
Next time you point a finger  
I might have to bend it back  
Or break it, break it off  
Next time you point a finger  
I'll point you to the mirror_

Kurt finally met her eyes, though it was clearly against his will.

_This is the last second chance_  
_**I'll point you to the mirror**_  
_I'm half as good as it gets_  
_**I'll point you to the mirror**_  
_I'm on both sides of the fence_  
_**I'll point you to the mirror**_  
_Without a hint of regret_  
_I'll hold you to it_

The girls had joined in from their seats to help her out so that they sang the repetitious lines.

_I know you don't have to believe me  
But the way I, way I see it  
Next time you point a finger  
I might have to bend it back  
Or break it, break it off  
Next time you point a finger  
I'll point you to the mirror_

I know you won't believe me  
But the way I, way I see it  
Next time you point a finger  
I might have to bend it back  
Or break it, break it off  
Next time you point a finger  
I'll point you to the mirror  
  
When she wrapped up her song, the expression on Kurt's face let her know that he'd gotten the message. She wasn't going to care what he thought anymore and she wouldn't take kindly to any further interference in her life on his part. He wasn't perfect and he had no right to mess with her. She was done with him.

Now, she just needed to fix things with Noah.

ooooo

Puck sat in his seat in the back corner and smirked. That was his girl, taking her anger out on Hummel in song. At first, he had been worried that she was going to break up with him, especially when she had met his eyes briefly before the first chorus. He'd been fucking relieved when she'd started walking to the two gossip queens instead.

He had skipped school to perfect what was basically going to serve as him expressing his feelings for her. He was pretty sure he had it down, but he was fucking nervous as hell. When Rachel took her spot with the three Cheerios and Tina, Finn gave him an encouraging grin (_fucking pussy_) and he raised his hand.

"Puck?" Schue sounded damn confused.

"I want to sing something," he said hesitantly. He couldn't believe he was about to fucking do this, but Finn had been right when he'd said that a public statement to Berry in song was the best way to get her back. So, Puck had picked the song and learned it.

He picked up his acoustic guitar and pulled a stool to the front of the room. Before he started, he met Rachel's eyes and saw that she was fucking curious. He smirked at that and began playing the acoustic version of the song he had chosen.

**When you were here before  
Couldn't look you in the eye  
You're just like an angel  
Your skin makes me cry  
You float like a feather  
In a beautiful world  
I wish I was special  
You're so fucking special**

Puck locked eyes with Rachel while he sang. He really hoped that she understood what he was trying to say.

**But I 'm a creep  
I 'm a weirdo  
What the hell am I doing here?  
I don't belong here**

I don't care if it hurts  
I want to have control  
I want a perfect body  
I want a perfect soul  
I want you to notice  
When I'm not around  
You're so fucking special  
I wish I was special

Puck wasn't paying attention to anyone else in the room; he only had eyes for Rachel. She was smiling at him, her big brown eyes shining.

**But I'm a creep  
I'm a weirdo  
What the hell am I doing here?  
I don't belong here**

She's running out again  
She's running out  
She run, run, run run  
Run

That was the longest note that he'd ever held, so he was glad there was a break before he had to sing again.

**Whatever makes you happy  
Whatever you want  
You're so fucking special  
I wish I was special**

But I'm a creep  
I'm a weirdo  
What the hell am I doing here?  
I don't belong here

I don't belong here

Puck knew that he wasn't good enough for Rachel; he never had been. She was a star and he knew that she was going to get out of this town someday. He wanted her to be happy and if that meant she couldn't accept what he was saying to her here, then he would deal with it. But he was fucking selfish and he wanted her whether he deserved her or not. It she forgave him, he would never give her another fucking excuse to walk away.

He strummed the final note and stood up to go back to his chair. When he passed Rachel's chair, she jumped up and threw her arms around his neck, trapping his guitar between them. She cupped one hand over the back of his head and pulled his lips down to hers. After a short, but fucking _intense_, kiss, she let go and beamed up at him, her eyes glistening with tears.

"I love you too, Noah," she said softly.

His heart fucking soared (and what a pussy thing to think, but he couldn't think of any other way to describe it) with those words. She had figured out that he was trying to tell her he loved her with that song, and she felt the same way. His day had just become fucking awesome.

ooooo

As glee drew to a close, Rachel didn't think her day could get any better. Noah had sung to her in front of everyone (then he had ditched, so she figured he was embarrassed), and she knew that the song he had picked was his way of saying he loved her. She had seen the look in his eyes when she told him she loved him too and she knew that she'd gotten it right. She was pulling up the handle on her bag and talking to Quinn about their plans to take her dads to dinner tomorrow night for their anniversary when someone cleared their throat behind her.

"Rachel, can I talk to you for a moment?"

Rachel straightened up and turned to face Mercedes, waving Quinn off. "Yes?"

"I just wanted to apologize for what we did. I also wanted to tell you that when Kurt paid Nate Hallings to ask you out last year, I did warn Puck about it," the other girl explained.

Rachel tilted her head. "Thank you for that at least. Sorry, but I need to go; Quinn and Matt are waiting on me."

When Rachel left the choir room, she felt more at peace with herself than she had in a long time. Life was good. She had her friends, she had Noah (as soon as she found him; he'd run out so quickly), and Mercedes had actually apologized to her.

She was walking past the first floor janitor's closet near her locker when a hand shot out and grabbed her, pulling her in. She nearly let out a scream, but then her eyes adjusted to the dim overhead light and she saw that it was just Noah. He was leaning against the closed door.

"What are you doing?" she asked in confusion, dropping the handle of her bag.

A fire lit behind his eyes and he moved away from the door. A shiver ran up her spine as he crowded her backward; his eyes were so very green right now. She felt a rush of liquid between her thighs and her breathing picked up. Oh, God, he hadn't even touched her yet.

"What do you think I'm doing babe?"

She came to an abrupt halt as her back hit the wall behind her. Locking eyes with him, she answered.

"I think you're doing something that could get us expelled."

He smirked and stopped mere inches away from her. "And you fucking love it."

She whimpered at his words and he lowered his lips to hers. As soon as he wrapped his arms around her waist, she melted into him and opened her mouth so that he could slide his tongue inside. Their tongues twined together and he moved one hand from her back to slide up under her shirt and cup her breast through her bra, stroking a thumb over her nipple. Rachel twisted one hand in his mohawk and pressed her other hand to his chest over his nipple ring, rubbing it.

Rachel was so wrapped up in the kiss that she was caught off guard when he cupped her ass and lifted her up. When she wrapped her legs around his hips, settling her core over his hard length, he tore his mouth from hers. While he nibbled his way down her neck, he also talked (she loved his dirty talk).

"I bet you're already so fucking wet for me that you're dripping." He licked her collar bone and she moaned. "I could just fucking unzip my jeans and screw you through the wall." He kissed his way back up her neck and jaw to her ear. "Do you want that Rachel? Do you want me to rail you right here?" he whispered against her ear before sucking on her earlobe.

He slid one hand off her butt and, placing it between them, pushed her skirt up her thighs. When he slid a finger into her panties and over her clit, she hissed in pleasure. After circling her clit twice, heplunged his finger into her and she arched her back, letting out a cry.

"God, Noah!"

He stroked his finger inside of her, curling it upward to hit her g-spot. Letting the wall at her back brace her, he moved his other hand down and the sound of a zipper rasped loudly through the closet. The motion of his finger and that sound caused another rush of wetness to her core. When he removed his finger, she whimpered in protest. It turned to a gasp when she felt his cock against her opening, his other hand holding her panties aside. Instead of sliding into her though, he stroked himself over her clit. She moved her hands down to curl over his shoulders.

"Please Noah," she pleaded.

He stroked over her again teasingly. "Just tell me what you fucking want Rach."

"You know what I w...w...want," she stuttered out as he slid just the head into her and then back out again.

"Just fucking say it Rach and I'll fuck you," he whispered against her ear.

"I need you inside of me Noah," she moaned.

That was all he needed; he thrust fully into her in one smooth motion with a groan even as she cried out and arched against him. He placed both of his palms flat against the wall on either side of her and started stroking slowly and shallowly within her. He was completely in charge of their pace and she knew it was going to drive her mad. She tried to move her hips against him, but he had her pressed so firmly against the wall that there wasn't much she could do. When he moved one hand off the wall to rub against her clit with every stroke out, she knew he was driving her crazy on purpose.

"Noah, you can't do this," she said on a gasp. "It's not fair."

Stroking her clit, he smirked down at her. "You know what I want to hear babe; all you have to do is say it and I'll give you what you want."

His breath was coming so fast that she knew he wanted to let go as badly as she wanted him to. But she also knew that he was damn stubborn and would keep this slow pace until she gave in.

So, cheeks burning, she panted out, "Oh, God, Noah, please fuck me harder."

"Fuck yeah," he got out before his hips picked up speed.

While he thrust into her fast and hard, she knew that this was what he meant when he threatened to fuck her through the wall. Her thoughts were completely incoherent and she had started a nonstop moaning. This was just so...so...so...

"_Ohhhhh_."

She was so close but she just couldn't quite get there. She felt like every muscle in her body was tensed in anticipation of going over the edge, but she was missing that final push.

"Oh, Noah, I need...I need..."

He groaned out her name and came, still thrusting through his orgasm. He lowered his head and bit down on her collarbone and that was it. The tension in her body exploded and she let out a high, keening scream as she clenched around him, her nails cutting into his shoulders.

"Shit babe, I love that you're a screamer, but you'll get us caught," Noah said, voice muffled from where his head was still resting against her neck.

She let out a shaky laugh. "You knew that about me when you decided to have sex in this closet," she reminded him.

When they had both recovered enough to stand on their own, Noah pulled out of her and set her on her feet. They took care to clean up (and this was exactly why she kept a healthy supply of wet naps in her purse) and then he zipped up, she readjusted her panties and skirt, and they left the closet.

He took her hand and twined their fingers together. "So, I'll give you a ride home."

Rachel gasped. "Oh, my gosh. I totally forgot that Matt and Quinn were waiting for me!"

"Nah, they're not. I told them I'd take you home."

She glanced up at him. "I've wanted to ask you this since yesterday, but why did you agree to Kurt's plan?"

He shrugged. "I may not have been all that interested in being friends with you at the time, but I didn't want you to have sex with someone who was being paid for it."

She smiled to herself. Even when he had zero interest in her, he had still protected her.

He came to an abrupt halt in front of the exit and slid his free hand into his pocket. "Here."

Rachel dropped the handle of her bag to take whatever he was holding out. She looked down at what he had thrust into her hand and her heart melted.

"This is your class ring," she stated softly, studying the ring in her hand. It was the classic style, gold with a red stone in the center, his name on one side, and his year on the other. It had been threaded onto a delicate gold chain. She looked up at him. "You're giving me your class ring?"

He ran a hand over his mohawk and avoided her gaze. "Well, it's just...this way everyone knows you're with me." He met her eyes. "The chain's real gold."

She smiled brightly up at him, her eyes prickling with tears for the second time that day. "I love it Noah. I would love it even if I had to buy my own chain for it. Put it on me?"

He took the ring from her and she lifted her hair so that he could fasten the clasp of the chain. When he was done, the ring fell heavily on top of her shirt between her breasts and she turned to face him. She stood on her toes and kissed him.

"I love you Noah."

She dropped back down and grabbed the handle to her bag in one hand and his hand in her other. They had just stepped outside when she heard it so quietly she would have missed it if she weren't so attuned to him.

"I love you too Rach."

A/N 2: The song Rachel (with some help from the girls) sang was 'Playing God' by Paramore. Puck sang the acoustic version of Radiohead's 'Creep'.


End file.
